Silicon Soul
by Benjamin Bradt
Summary: A new ally and a new threat surface in DenTech City, and it's going to take the help of every friend Netto and Rockman have to win the day, or everybody dies. Lan x Meiru x OC
1. Execution

_**Chapter 1**_

Rockman stared absently across the near lifeless net, surprised at the lack of activity. His internal clock pegged the hour as 2:25AM, and all across Internet City the most motion he could see was the silent goings-on of the local security patrol, consisting of two unremarkable navis, strolling lazily through the unoccupied merchant quarter. This would make it the fifth night that Rockman had found himself possessed with a mysterious restlessness that had driven him from Netto's PET and into the net unsupported; sometimes there was other activity, and he would go to the nearest Net Café and chat with other navis, some of whom shared his unexplainable unease. Mostly though, the world was asleep in preparation for the coming day, and come school the following morning it would be him that slept through Ms. Mari's class.

"Excuse me, are you . . . Rockman?"

Startled, the blue navi whirled, eyes fixing on an unknown navi, his body mostly concealed by the shadows, "I am, and who are you?"

"I have been chasing stories about you for some time now." The navi brought his hands up in a supplicated gesture, "I mean no harm, and am ill equipped to fight someone of your skill."

The blue navi eyed the navis hands, a pair of three-pronged manipulators not unlike the mechanical grabber of a carnival crane machine, with questionable interest. "If you really mean no ill, then why do you hide in the shadows?"

"If you would wish it, I will reveal myself." The navi walked out of the shadow, and the breath froze in Rockman's throat; the navi's body was red and smooth, bereft of any feature. His humanoid head bore no eyes, nose, or mouth; his chest bore a featureless crest, each arm terminating in a crude appendage that granted him only the most minimal of function. The being before him seemed incomplete, and the alien entity sent a shiver of disgust through him. The red navi seemed to sense Rockman's reaction, as he bowed his head slightly, "I am aware that my appearance is . . . reviling." He slipped back into the shadows, and Rockman cursed himself inwardly, realizing that he had reflexively formed his right hand into the buster.

"No, please, I'm very sorry for my rudeness," Rockman bowed apologetically, "I am tired, and denying myself downtime creates conflicts in my personality matrix." The blue navi mustered an awkward smile and gestured toward the edge beside him, "Please come, sit, you've traveled a long way to find me and I could use the company."

The red navi hesitated for a few seconds before slowly reentering the light, gliding more than walking to Rockman's side. "You need not make excuses to hide your feelings, the response is fairly universal. I embody a terrible reminder of any navi's mortality, and the response elicited is much like presenting any human with a corpse. I have come to expect to be abhorrently viewed, considered disgusting, and I can appreciate honesty more than I can pretty, empty words."

Rockman nodded, "I respect that, I merely do not wish to judge you by your appearance, as that is unfair. Just because you are not visually appealing, does not mean you are ugly inside."

The navi turned as if to stare at him, and slowly the blue navi got the impression that his company was smiling, "Thank you, that's the nicest thing anyone has said to me."

Rockman smiled back, "So, why have you come to find me, mister . . .? I'm sorry," he laughed, "I haven't asked your name yet."

The red navi shook his head, "I haven't gotten one, my creator has yet to name me."

"That's terrible, how anyone could neglect their navi in such a fashion is reprehensible." He fell silent for a few minutes, eyes full of pity, "Is that why . . . "

"Why I look this way? Yes," the navi stared across the void at Internet City, or Rockman thought he did, as the red navi had no eyes to display his actual orientation. "But please, do not judge harshly of my maker, as he has done so much for me and deserves no ill will. I cannot recall much of my history, but my creator tells me I was once a weapon program, the activation core in a bomb used to demolish a government facility. In my past life, apparently, I killed many men and women, children too." A change came over the red navi, and as program errors skittered across its featureless face the blue navi could see, for a second, the faint outline of eyes. He realized the navi was trying to cry, but did not have the capacity for eyes or tears. "The first memory I can recall is the screams, the sound of suffering as a fifteen story building came down around me. Next, I remember being salvaged by a military investigations office, and I remember being torn apart by code stripping software as they examined me for any sign of my maker. The pain was . . . one of two things I will remember until I cease to function."

Rockman opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words that didn't seem trite or pathetic in contrast to the navi's aching heart. As with the soul unisons he shared with his friends, Rockman could hear the essence of this navi calling to him, and his own soul reached out. He laid a hand on the red navi's shoulder, and his compatriot seemed to garner strength from it, for as he continued his voice managed not to crack. "After they were done, I was all but destroyed, reduced to a few strings of code that some errant viruses had begun to consume, when I heard a voice . . . "

**ACCESSING 6-16-20XX DATA RECORD**

R**ECORD DAMAGED**

**SALVAGING FRAGMENT**

**PARTITION STABILIZED**

**ACCESSING . . .**

"_Father," the boy squinted at the display monitor, "look at this code sequence, there's a badly fragmented navi in the detonator."_

"_Hmm . . . ah, I see it." A man in an expensive suit leaned over the boy, the scent of his cologne wrapping him in a comfortable mantle, "Must have been part of the detonation sequence. It's a miracle it survived that far, though it looks like the DataSkim software has all but deleted him."_

_The boy looked at the splintered program for a long time. "Dad, remember how you promised you would get me a navi this week?"_

"_Of course I do, we'll go pick one out for you as soon as we're done here."_

"_I want that one."_

_The man stopped, confused, "What one?"_

"_The detonator navi," the boy tapped the monitor, "I want him."_

"_What? Why?"_

"_I feel sorry for him; he was created to operate a life taking device, and thrown away by his designer, only to be shredded and tortured by us, and now left to die. No one ever asked him what he wanted; he wasn't given the choice most navis get."_

"_He's in bad shape, kiddo," the man laid a hand on his son's shoulder, "You'd be looking at a complete rebuild, not to mention needing to splice program components from numerous other systems just to bring him up to standard operation, and don't get me started on what you'd have to do to make him net battle capable. By the end, there'd be more modification or splice software present than there would be of his core program."_

_The boy wrapped his hand on the metal exam table, the contact of his cybernetic appendage ringing shrilly in the quiet lab, "Are you saying that you think that it isn't worth saving someone when you'd have to replace most of what they started as, with foreign materials?"_

_Looking down at his son, knowing as well as the boy did about the miles of interlaced optic circuitry and integrated titanium plating that composed 83% of the boy's body, "Of course not; when you care about something, you should do whatever it takes to make it shine." He turned toward one of the lab technicians, "Hey Sam, what do you say you turn the detonator data over to me, and we'll call the software bill even."_

_The scientist stopped, slowly turning to face the man that addressed him, features turned up in a confused scowl. "I'm sorry, Mr. Brandt, did you just say that you would consider trading us the CORCKY program for the detonator coding?"_

"_You're just going to throw it away, aren't you?"_

"_Well, yes, but that's fifty million zenny in software!"_

"_You don't have kids Sam; one day, when you and Sharoll have one of your own, you'll understand how important it is to make them smile."_

"_A smile is all well and good, but fifty million zenny is enough to secure the comfortable living of a hundred children, so you'll pardon me if I expect them to think more realistically."_

"_To each his own." The man gestured toward the bomb fragments, "Go ahead and download him, Benny, we're already late for your doctor's appointment."_

_Thanks dad," Ben smiled and plugged his Personal Terminal into the SourceGen salvage computer, "Welcome home, little program, your life begins today."_

**DATA PARTITION CORRUPTED . . . **

**ENDING SEQUENCE . . . **

Rockman nodded quietly, "You are fortunate to have such an operator, he sounds like he cares for you very much."

The navi nodded, "I love him. He took me dying, and has invested so much of his dwindling time into my resurrection. The cybernetics his father installed in him have prolonged his life, but the strain is terrible on his body, and he hasn't long to live. That is why I'm unfinished; he's been slipping in and out of consciousness for the past week, and hasn't been able to do anything for more than an hour each time. He devotes all the time he is awake to working on me, but it seems wrong to let him spend what precious time he has left, fixing a broken old navi."

"He loves you, just like you love him; like a brother." Rockman fell silent, and neither spoke for a long time until the red navi faced him.

"Like you and your operator."

Rockman went cold. "How do you know about Netto?"

"My operator's father was Joshua Bradt, owner of Equinox Industries, the largest software designer in Ameroupe, and a key partner in Yuuichiro Hikari's PET program. At least, until he boarded the same plane as Arashi Kazefuki."

Rockman nodded solemnly, "Then he was present after Gospel declared Arashi's failure inexcusable . . ."

". . . and his suitcase exploded, causing the 787 to plummet into the sea, killing everyone aboard." The red navi nodded in agreement, "My operator has since assumed the responsibilities as company head, much to the dismay of the shareholders. During one of his visits to SciLabs I was uploaded into the mainframe for a program patch and bug screen, and I had an interesting conversation with a Mr. Prog who was all too eager to tell an American tourist about his role in the preservation of Doctor Hikari's dying son."

"Sometimes those Mr. Progs have no ability to realize what should and should not be shared," Rockman sighed in irradiation. "I'm sure that dad would be pretty angry if he knew about the EXTMEM program's existence becoming public knowledge."

"Trust me, I won't go around sharing the information, I know a lot about secrets." The navis shared a laugh, and then fell into companionable silence, staring across at the vastness of cyberspace.

-P-R-O-G-R-A-M---E-X-E-C-U-T-E-

"Dante Menjari, known throughout the cyberworld as The Bloody Incubus, you have been charged with the heinous crime of murder against 35 private citizens, 15 net saviors and their navis, and various acts of cyber terrorism across Ameroupe, Sharo, and Electopia. You have been judged guilty by a jury of your peers, and your judgment and punishment have been set to be carried out. Do you acknowledge your awareness of these crimes, your role in each atrocity, and the corresponding role you had to play in each act?"

The green haired man chuckled darkly, flexing against the leather straps that bound him in place. "Do I acknowledge that I enjoyed killing those stupid net saviors? Yes, particularly the time I spent with that sweet little thing in Sharo. I especially like the part where she walked to her net savior boyfriend's house, with that bomb in her-"

Dante grunted as one of the guards smashed him in the mouth with the butt of his stun pistol, deriving some degree of pleasure from the shrill crack as several of the murderer's teeth shattered upon impact. The judge rapped his gavel on the makeshift podium, "Bailiff, remove that guard!" Two armed officers placed a hand on the attacker's shoulder, and led him out without a struggle. Nobody present could blame the guard for his outburst, not even Dante himself, who giggled and spat teeth to his side.

"Gem of an officer; got a good swing on him."

The judge rapped his gavel again, "I've had enough of your shenanigans, you deluded psychopath! You have committed terrible acts against humanity, and it is not possible for someone to live long enough to validate a life imprisonment for such actions, particularly when the criminal is so mentally imbalanced he cannot understand the wrongness of his crimes."

The accusation stole the grin from Dante's bloody mouth, and he fixed the judge with a scowl so cruel that members of the jury behind him shivered. "Are you saying that I'm ill? That I'm some gibbering retard?" He roared at the judge, spattering bloody spittle on his white prison uniform, "You think that some whimpering idiot could have masterminded the exorcisms I performed?"

"Clearly, Mr. Menjari, as any healthy-minded individual would be incapable of the things you have done with your life."

Dante's eyes glittered with a fierce rage, but his broken mouth curled into a horrific smile, "I guess I'll have to prove you wrong, old man." He shifted his face so that he affixed the jury of 33 citizens with his haunting purple eyes, "Bear witness to my proclamation; heed my words as if your lives depend upon it, for they do. I will arise from this meaningless execution, like an angel of death, to herald the end of your civilization."

The judge raised his voice over the deadly calm words the killer uttered, hoping to overwhelm the killer's monstrous oration. "Dante Menjari, the death penalty has not been in existence for over 50 years, ever since the world government decreed that the act of taking another's life was not admissible under any circumstances."

"To prove to you . . . unworthy creatures, that my work is the will of no less than the immortal God, himself." Dante continued, pressing against the leather straps with strength born of lunacy.

" . . . But it has been decided that, for someone of so many atrocities, the only way to truly ensure the safety of good people, is to revoke the gift of life you have so readily shunned."

Dante's voice rose in volume, "I will walk amidst the masses, and turn my so-called peers to the righteous path I walk, and we will show mankind the folly of those who have taken technology into their soul."

The judge raised his own voice to a shout. "So it is the decision of this court that, with the permission of the world government, you will be executed before this jury of your peers, by electrocution. Do you have any last words?"

Dante fixed his eyes on the judge, "Repent, for you will be the first to die, Judge Reinhold DeMarquis."

Although the sound of his name on the murderer's lips sent cold waves down his spine, the judge forced his mouth into a grim line. "Do it."

One of the jurors pulled a lever, and the room's lights shuddered as a hundred thousand volts of electricity sent violent tremors through the convicted killer's body. He bulged against the straps, bloody foam bubbling up from his lips as he screamed wordlessly. He flexed and thrashed, his eyes rolling back in his head, electricity arcing between the rows of his teeth as he thrashed about in the metal chair, slamming his head into the back bar again and again, long past sensing the damage done as his skull shattered, driving fragments of bone into his brain. The electrocution lasted thirty seconds, after which a wrinkled old man cautiously walked up to the smoking murderer, tentatively placing a stethoscope to his chest.

"…no pulse, no respiratory activity, call time of death at 3:37AM." The doctor stepped back, and two guards walked forward to collect the corpse. Unbeknownst to all, a small electronic device was reading Dante's vital signs as well, and at approximately ninety seconds after all activity ceased, it began to emit a signal.

A juror's net phone began to ring, and when he reluctantly answered it we was greeted with a string of malicious laughter. Then the phone next to him began to ring, and the one adjacent to her, until every net phone in the room was ringing and spewing forth maniacal laughter; Dante Menjari's maniacal laughter. Some of the juror's repeatedly pressed the call end buttons on their PETs, but to no avail. Other's extracted the batteries, ignoring the indignant cries of their respective navis as the devices went dead.

At two-hundred seconds the laughter ceased abruptly, replaced by a few seconds of eerie calm, before the explosives secreted away in Dante's body detonated. With a blinding flash and a bone-jarring 'boom' the killer's corpse was evaporated; the ring of flame rippled outward, slamming the unfortunate doctor and guardsmen in the chamber against the walls with enough force to liquefy their bodies. The shockwave sent vicious furrows through the Plexiglas window that shielded the judge and jurors from the execution room; although the barrier protected them from the deadly explosion, the gelatinous remains of the good doctor and his armed entourage managed to slowly trickle in through the cracks.

-P-R-O-G-R-A-M---E-X-E-C-U-T-E-

Rockman and the featureless navi broke off their conversation as the net seemed to flicker around them, watching curiously as a burst of alien code streaked pass them, filtering out across the web. "Huh," Rockman said as he scratched his head, "I wonder what that was all about."

"They executed Dante Menjari tonight."

"The net slayer who logged in all those murders and deletions?" Rockman made a face, "I don't know what disgusts me more; that he committed so many atrocities without remorse, or that all the government could think to do with him was end his life. Barbaric."

"Death is a part of life, as inevitable as day into night. I am not one to say whether or not the action was right or wrong, but everyone's free opinion is welcome."

The blue navi yawned and stretched, "I hate to call it a night, my friend, but I have to make sure my operator wakes up in time for school."

The red navi nodded, "Indeed; I myself have to ensure that mine prepares for his busy day tomorrow." The red navi walked over and hugged Rockman, "Thank you for talking to me tonight; it gave me the chance to think about some things."

Rockman stiffened slightly, and then returned the hug happily. Robbed of physical contact for most of his life, only a cautious few had ever hugged him; and now this stranger that he barely knew, so eager was he to express himself. Rockman envied the freedom that his new friend possessed at times. "We need to name you something," he said as they separated, "I can't go on calling you _boushi_-sama."

"Boushi?" The red navi cocked his head, "What is the word 'boushi'? I'm still learning Japanese."

"It means 'unnamed,' as in I can't go on calling you mister no name."

"I like it."

"But it's no different than what you are now!

The red navi shrugged, and Rockman got the distinct impression that his friend was smiling, "It is a name of sorts, and my friend gave it to me, so it is special."

Seeing he would not be swayed, the blue navi acquiesced, "As you wish." The pair smiled at each other, "Goodnight . . . Boushi." He could not suppress a silly smile.

"Goodnight, Saito."


	2. A New Face

_**Chapter 2**_

"Alright, settle down class," Ms. Mariko's voice pierced the din like a silver needle, bringing everyone's attention to her. "We have a new student today; although he seems to be late, so I suppose Netto would be the ideal one to show him around should he arrive." The class rumbled with suppressed laughter; even Netto found himself chuckling, despite the humor being at his expense.

"Sounds like she's got your number, Netto," Meiru quietly jibed, "At least your social rank is globally recognized."

"I take pride in my personal achievements," Netto grinned and rubbed the back of his head bashfully, "My dad IS always drilling me about being consistent."

"Consistent," Yaito and Tohru scoffed in unison, causing Meiru to giggle musically.

The class' attention was caught by the gentle click of the classroom door opening, and their eyes turned to witness the new student's entry. He was tall for his age, and broad; although unlike Dekao, whose girth was due to a dangerous addiction to snack foods, the new student's size was the genetic promise of physical aptitude. He had bright red hair that rolled off his head like liquid fire, drawn back into a lazy ponytail, and from behind his glasses he scanned the room with a pair of sapphire eyes.

"Ah, good morning, welcome to our class. I am the teacher, Ms. Mariko, and you must be our new student."

"Yes, thank you," he said quietly. His voice was that of a natural tenor, and Meiru found herself wondering if he would be attending the school's choir classes. He withdrew a small envelope from his long coat, extending it to the teacher, who plucked it deftly from his gloved hand. "I have brought documentation to explain my tardiness, as well as my apologies. I will endeavor to improve my punctuality, as I do not wish to make a nuisance of myself by disturbing the class regularly."

"It's quite alright; I imagine you are still adjusting to our time after your recent move from Ameroupe." The class murmured in surprise at the declaration, and the student blushed slightly as he became aware of the attention he was being paid. "I'll let it pass this one time, considering you didn't present us with a DVD of your life exploits and goals."

The class shivered with laughter, all save Yaito, who grumbled and shielded her blushing face behind a notepad. "Not to be disrespectful, Mariko-sensei, but may I find a seat? I'm growing uncomfortable with this . . . prolonged presentation." He tried to suppress a nervous glance to the students, who seemed to skewer him with their appraising eyes.

"Of course, please find an empty seat." He nodded and quietly walked amidst the rows of desks, passing the empty seat next to Netto, who smiled welcomingly. He breezed pass the warm smile and empty desk Meiru offered, finally slipping into an empty spot at the back of the class. "Class, I'd like you all to welcome Benjamin Bradt, a transfer student from Ameroupe." The students all smiled and welcomed him warmly, receiving an awkward reply as he mumbled his own greeting and quickly went about setting up his desk.

The remainder of the day, for several of the students, went surprisingly uneventful; there were no virus outbreaks in the net, no dimensional areas exploding up in the city, no net phone messages from an energetic Meijin-san. Netto took it as a chance to catch up on his sleep; Dekao took it as a chance to make several unimpeded passes at Meiru. She ignored both of them and focused in her studies, her own thoughts wandering to the stranger who tried so hard to seem so small. She couldn't help but wonder about him, why he seemed so subdued, and why he chose to wear a long coat and leather gloves on a ninety-four degree summer day.

-P-R-O-G-R-A-M---E-X-E-C-U-T-E-

Exhausted, Ben closed the heavy wooden door behind him as he entered the safety of his new home. He stared bleakly at the carnage before him; unpacked boxes of belongings were placed helter-skelter about him, stacked atop each other haphazardly, creating a sprawling metropolis of possessions. He walked through them, stopping at the foot of one of the few things he'd bothered to unpack that morning, a great portrait of his mother and father.

Several feet away, a computer monitor blinked to life, and on its screen a featureless red navi started out with invisible eyes. "Welcome home, Benjamin."

Torn away from his morbid focus, he smiled sadly, "Ah, my friend, I have missed you." He walked quickly over to the computer and began typing, "I see the SYSSTL patch installed correctly, how is your system operating?"

"25 percent more efficient than yesterday; all exterior interference is now screened." The navi almost seemed to smile, "I can touch things without fragmenting now."

"Wonderful," Ben smiled, "I promise I will get you running before . . . well, we'll get you running by the end of the week. I'm sure you would like to be able to explore the net without the system seeker tethering you."

The navi noted the change in his creator's demeanor, "Ben, you shouldn't be wasting your time fixing me, you should be enjoying your life before . . . well, you know."

The red-head smiled, "I am enjoying myself. I'm spending time with my best friend, and I started school today. The doctor also said I'm stabilizing," he lied in a cheerful tone, "They say they think I could actually level out in the near future."

The red navi detected the lie, but didn't say anything. Ben continued his work until something caught his eye. "What's this file? And this Boushi code line? Has someone hacked you?" His voice tightened in alarm.

The navi chuckled, "No sir, Boushi is my name."

"You named yourself?"

"No," the red navi bowed his head and kicked the ground sheepishly, "My . . . my new friend gave it to me."

"You made a friend?!" Ben laughed, "I'm so happy for you! That gives me hope for the future, maybe I'll be able make some friends."

"They'd be lucky to have you as a friend."

The operator blushed, "Oh stop it Boushi. Boushi . . . I am so happy for you my little friend. That's fantastic; I wish I could hug you. I wish . . ." he bowed his head, "I wish my father was here to see the progress you've made."

"That WE'VE made; remember, I'd be nothing without you."

"The feeling is mutual." Ben examined the file, "Damn, this is complex . . . and apparently unfinished. Let's see here . . . base sequence of twenty-four CSPs . . . twenty AAPC sequences . . . indeterminate variations percentage point zero five percent . . . holy-, THREE BILLION sequence pairs?! This is a complex batch file. Did your friend give you this?"

"I copied it from his and stripped the preexisting data," Boushi bowed his head guiltily, "I just haven't gotten around to filling the data yet, I'm still researching the contributor sources."

"Well, just make sure you don't do any damage to yourself Boushi, you're all I have left anymore." Ben smiled and rose, heading off to his room. Shortly after he left, Boushi heard the shower start, and the red navi began to sort through the files he'd hacked from DenTech Hospital earlier that day.

"Do not worry master; any changes to me will only be to your benefit."

-P-R-O-G-R-A-M---E-X-E-C-U-T-E-

Secreted away on a small island off the Sharo coastline, a powerful computer busily burned through millions of lines of code. Activated by a signal received at approximately 3:39AM, the system was steadily compiling a program, consisting of a thousand batch files scattered across the net. Although he was dead, the legacy of Dante Menjari would live on.

---

The phone was on its fourth ring before Ben snatched the receiver up, the plastic case sliding across un-textured metal fingers and crashing to the floor. "Son of a b- _hold on a second_!" He leaned down to grab the phone off the marble floor, precariously balanced on his remaining leg. "Bradt residence, how can I help you?" He proceeded to hop back to his room, pinning the phone between his ear and shoulder, his prosthetic arm and flesh arm grabbing the balance rails on either side of the hallway to assist his passage."

"Yes, this is Shuuko Kido with Higureya. I'm calling to say that Mr. Bradt's chip order has arrived, and is available for pick-up."

Ben flopped down onto the bed, taking the phone in his flesh hand as he busied his prosthetic hand with the reattachment of his artificial leg. "Excellent, and what does the final bill come out to?"

"Seventy thousand zenny."

"So little? Were you able to locate all thirty chips?"

"Our net agent located the three trap chips, Gaia Hammer, Navi X, Twister, and Meteor Knuckle. The Lifesword and Anubis chips were located in the owner's personal collection, and the five dragon chips were a recent trade-in. We found someone willing to sell Super Vulcan, Sanctuary, Poltergeist, and Moonblade for fifteen thousand each. Unfortunately, that's all."

"It's a start, thanks Ms. Kido. Contact the seller and purchase the chips, I'll reimburse Mr. Higure upon my arrival, which will be in . . . thirty-five minutes."

"We'll see you soon Mr. Bradt, and thank you for shopping Higureya." The phone went dead and he tossed it to the bed as he finished reconnecting the cybernetic leg. Knowing he would have to walk across town to get his chips, he immediately regretted releasing his father's chauffer.

"Well, I guess this is as good a time as any to try that whole 'making friends' thing that my navi, apparently, is better at than I am." Chuckling, he hung up his towel and proceeded to select comfortable clothes for his outing.


	3. The 'F' Word

_**Chapter 3**_

"Bastards!" With a snarl the scientist slammed down the newspaper, "How dare they proclaim their own superiority for such an audacity!" He withdrew his PET, tapping the buttons furiously, and a golden armored navi appeared. "Enker, have you seen the news?"

In response, Enker rolled his eyes. "Yes, I BROUGHT you the news, but you'll rant regardless, so 'No, I haven't seen it,' junior."

The scientist growled, "Don't call me junior! My father disgraced the once noble name of Regal. But where he failed I, Doctor Viktor Regal, will succeed." He gestured toward a computer screen that displayed a partially formed navi, its body obscured by semi-opaque data screens that flickered in and out of existence. "By incorporating my grandfather's 'Dream Virus' data with my own virus designs, I will create the 'Bloody Incubus' virus, and wreak vengeance in the name of the great artist who bore the same name."

"Did you call me just to rant about your miraculous virus in the making? Because if you did," the navi shrugged aimlessly, "you drew me away from some sweet little thing I found in a cyber café, and I'd like to get back to my game."

"Tough," Regal bitterly spat the words as he turned the newspaper to face the PET, "I want you to go to the Kattelox Times mainframe and crash it, utterly destroy it."

"Fine, good, _whatever_," the golden navi rolled his eyes in annoyance, "God, I swear you scientists are like middle-aged emo kids." The golden navi exploded into a shower of pixels, leaving the scientist to fume in solitude.

Viktor Regal walked over to the monitor, placing a hand on the screen. "Soon, my Bloody Incubus, you will arise to fulfill Dante's prophecy, and together we will bring society down around their ears."

Silently, the viral navi waited to awaken.

---

As he crossed into the air-conditioned interior of Higureya, he smiled inwardly. The walk had been pleasant; the city was smaller than he'd initially imagined, and while traveling he'd gotten back in touch with the real world. _Having no car is much less of an obstacle outside of a city like New York_, Ben mused quietly.

A pretty girl with long purple hair raised her eyes from her PET, rewarding Ben with a friendly smile. "Welcome to Higureya, my name is Shuuko, how can I help you?"

Reminding himself that the sole reason she was smiling at him was because she was paid to be friendly, Ben quelled the blush that had started to warm his cheeks as he stepped up to the counter. "I'm here to pick up an order for Bradt."

"Just a moment please," the cashier grinned and walked into the back room, leaving a few precious minutes to compose himself. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the girl's navi, a child-like figure with a fishbowl for a head, waving at him with a ridiculously large grin. He chuckled and waved back, and was rewarded with overly animated joy on the navi's behalf, and a delighted giggle from the unseen shop girl. Upon realizing she'd seen him he blushed vividly, assuming a guarded position much akin to a soldier's 'at-ease' stance.

"Aquaman seems to like you, Mr. Bradt; perhaps he could show your navi around Internet City sometime." Shuuko smiled shyly, "I assume that, as I've never seen you around before, you've just moved to the area?"

"Yes," he quickly reasserted control over his awkwardness, "Just today." He extended his bank card to her, "After I finish his software design, I'm sure Boushi would love to see Internet City with Aquaman." This rewarded him with a decidedly genuine smile from Shuuko, and more animated antics from Aquaman. This time, Ben managed not to blush at the attention.

The cashier swiped his card and returned it, "You're a programmer? I could really use some help on my website."

"Alright, here's my e-mail, just shoot me a message whenever you're free." Ben watched the transaction as if he were outside his body; he accepted the safety case, full of battle chips, and slipped his card into her willing hand.

"Thanks . . . Ben," she read from his card, "I'll e-mail you soon."

"I look forward to it." He smiled, "later Shuuko, Aquaman." He waved and walked out of the shop, reemerging into the summer heat. He immediately retraced his steps to the city park, sitting down on a bench and burying his face in his hands. He slipped the glove off his prosthetic, placing the cool metal palm against the back of his neck as he tried to digest what had just occurred. Had he just really given a complete stranger his contact information, and been invited to her home?

Subtly, through the murk of his thoughts, something began to pierce his senses. A smell, soft and yielding . . . roses; he smelled roses, and jasmine, a gentle scent that wiped away the thoughts that controlled his mind. He closed his eyes and inhaled the fragrance deeply, letting it send him into a deep state of relaxation. He opened his eyes slowly, and found that a girl was sitting next to him, examining his prosthetic hand curiously. He froze instantly, horrified that someone could see his deformity, and swiftly restored the leather glove. The girl blinked in surprise, blushing slightly. "I'm so sorry I was staring," she smiled at him, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Ben didn't register her words, he was too lost in her face; he was paralyzed by her brown eyes. He could feel himself sinking into their depths, soft and embracing, comforting and compassionate. He blinked twice and forced himself to reply, but found himself unable to divorce his gaze. "No, please, entirely my fault. I really shouldn't be in public. I'm aware I am somewhat of a train wreck." She looked at him, eyes full of hurt, and he kicked himself. "I didn't mean that, I'm sorry." He made himself look away, which required force enough to move mountains, "I'm so used to the worst response someone could give I was unprepared for genuine neutrality."

The girl smiled forgivingly, and Ben prayed that time would stop in that instant. "It's ok, I'm Sakurai Meiru. You just transferred into my class at school."

A voice inside his head screamed 'that's _impossible_, I'd sooner miss throwing myself at the ground than seeing someone so perfect as you,' but instead he smiled. She extended her hand, and he shook it, violently clamping down the urge to kiss it. "It's nice to meet you Sakurai. No, wait, in Electopia they say last name first, your name is Meiru?"

Ben melted into the bench when she giggled, "Your name is Benjamin Bradt, right?"

"Yes, but call me Ben please, I hear Benjamin all the time from complete strangers."

"Alright, _Ben_," she smiled and returned her attention to his hand. She had removed the glove at some point that he could not remember, and he wished with all his heart he could feel her fingers as they probed the smooth steel. "So, I've never seen a prosthetic limb like this before, how did you end up with it?"

"Meiru!" They both turned to see others approaching; another girl, a slender boy, and another boy who was about the same size as Ben, though his bulk swayed fluidly with each step.

Meiru blushed slightly and released Ben's hand as if she had been burnt, waving at the group as they approached, "Netto! Dekao, Yaito, come over and meet our new classmate."

The group joined the pair and busied themselves greeting Meiru, a distraction Ben used to re-glove his fake hand. Meiru jumped up and hugged the slender boy, and immediately the word boyfriend leapt to Ben's mind, followed by the jealous impulse to throttle him. Meiru gestured to each of them as she introduced them.

"This is Hikari Netto," she said as she pointed out the slender boy. He was lean, although from the power in his movements he was easily Ben's physical equal, and he eagerly shook Ben's hand, his brown eyes glittering happily. Everything about him was easy going, and his ready smile made him instantly likeable, much the American's dismay. It was no small wonder Meiru was with him, he seemed like the perfect guy.

"Hi Ben, what brings you to Electopia?"

"I always wanted to see it before I died." The group laughed at what they assumed was a joke, and only Meiru seemed to notice that Ben was the only one not laughing.

"This is Ayano-Kouji Yaito." The girl was very short, easily a foot shorter than Meiru, and appeared to be a year or so younger.

"My daddy is the president of Gabcom, the largest software company in Electopia."

"As of this morning, your lead slipped about three points, putting you at a tie with IPC." Yaito scowled at him, and he raised his hands defensively, "If it helps, I think your father's investments in holographic research will prove far smarter than IPC's copyroid project." The answer seemed to satisfy her, much to his relief.

"And this," Meiru said while suppressing a giggle she shared with Netto, "Is Oyama Dekao."

The largest of the group, he walked up to Ben, but did not shake the offered hand. Ben withdrew it slowly, and Dekao cast a glance Meiru's way. Ben followed Dekao's eyes, and as they resumed their stalemate the American understood everything; Dekao shared a similar infatuation with Meiru, one that the round boy had recognized in Ben's face when the group had interrupted his talk with Meiru. The American wondered if the girl even realized how easily she ensnared others with her effortless grace.

Dekao's brows furrowed angrily as he saw Ben's gaze wander appreciatively towards Meiru again; he had enough of an issue with Netto always chasing his beloved Meiru, the last thing he needed was this upstart American sticking his nose where it didn't belong. "What's the matter, can't get a date in your own country?"

He laughed cruelly as he saw the reaction in Ben's eyes, the barb biting deep. The American felt a surge of rage bristle inside him, but he cooled it with the knowledge that his mere presence was enough to make the other boy nervous. That brought a smile of his own to his face. "Not necessarily; perhaps she's just worth the trip, as I'm sure everyone feels."

Brows furrowed angrily, and for a second Ben thought that it'd be worth the swing Dekao wanted to take, just to appreciate how much he'd stung the other boy back. Not to mention how upset at him it'd make Meiru, as Ben figured she was pretty anti-violence. "Whatever, just don't waste her time. She doesn't need to have a freak like you popping up everywhere she goes."

_Freak._ The hateful word raked scalding claws across a field of open wounds, and Ben could feel the redness rising in his face even before he saw the smug smile that crossed Dekao's lips. The challenge, and the cutting blow, was apparent to every onlooker. As he sought to distract himself, a sickening realization came to him; their little fight had drawn the focus of the group, and Ben could feel their eyes burning into him. He was a sideshow event, and as he looked at them he saw the confusion and disapproval in Meiru's eyes. Dekao had goaded the American into a juvenile contest, and had to do nothing but step back and let Ben make a fool of himself.

Meiru stared confusedly at Ben and Dekao, who'd been exchanging cryptic little comments for a few minutes, apparently completely oblivious to everyone else. Ben glanced her way, and she saw his face red with rage. As he met her questioning gaze, his face paled with shame, and he whirled on his heel and almost ran away. "Ben? Ben!" Meiru called after him, but the American only moved faster, and as Dekao laughed mockingly she turned on him.

As Meiru turned to face him, cheeks red with rage, the laughter stuck in his throat. She stalked forward, jabbing Dekao in the gut with a delicately manicured finger, making him wince. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do nuthin."

She jabbed him again, harder, "What. Did. You. _Do_?"

"I didn't do anything," Dekao crossed his arms and Meiru stepped back, still angry. "Besides, you don't need some jerk like that hovering around you."

"What!" Meiru slammed her fist into Dekao's gut, and he hunched over and fell to his knees, tears in his eyes. "Who the heck are you to tell me who I should or shouldn't hang around with? As for who's a jerk," Meiru picked her bag up from the bench, "the only jerk I see is a big fat one named Dekao!" She stalked away, Yaito hot on her heels, occasionally glancing back after Ben or Netto.

"Nice job Casanova," Netto chuckled at the hunched over Dekao, "You really have to teach me how to be so suave with the ladies."

"Shut up, Netto."

"No, seriously," Netto mocked earnest desperation and clasped his hands in a prayer, "Teach me, oh wise Dekao-sama, so that I too may be able to make any girl beat the crap out of me."

"Shut up, it isn't funny Netto."

"On the contrary, I think it's hilarious." Netto walked away, leaving Dekao to his whimpering as he withdrew his familiar blue PET. "Rockman, did you catch that exchange?"

"Yeah," he said thoughtfully, "I wonder what he said that set off Mr. Bradt. I'll have to get in touch with Boushi later."

"Boushi?"

"Bradt's navi," Rockman said, remembering his encounter with the incomplete program, "We've spoken a few times."

"Sounds like a plan, just make sure you do my math homework first."

"I'm not doing your homework, Netto."

"Oh come on, I installed that customizer plan for you, didn't I?"

"Oh please, process two additional mega chips for net battling." Rockman rolled his eyes, "Sounds more like you did it for yourself."

"Hey, watch it, you can be reprogrammed!"

"Bring it on; I'd like to see you try."

---

"Chromosomal sequences . . . DNA base pair configurations . . ." Boushi quietly skimmed the DenTech hospital mainframe, trying to ensure no one discovered that he had hacked through their security. "Just as I thought, the .bat file's values are genetic in origin. Although I don't understand this point zero five percent variation that Doctor Hikari coded in." Boushi felt a pang of regret for copying the file from his unknowing friend, but he needed to ensure that Ben was given a second chance at life. "I wish I could ask Saito about the file, I'm sure he knows exactly how it works."

After several more minutes of data copying, Boushi closed the files and prepared to go. Turning to face the disabled Mr. Prog beside him, he laid a hand on the program, re-assimilating its data, until he and the program were one entity, indistinguishable from any other program. "Once I get outside the firewall I'll release the Mr. Prog, and then it's onward to home." Smiling and nodding at one of the security programs, he resumed his walk toward the firewall, whistling tunelessly.

---

After returning home and finding Boushi out web surfing, Ben decided to hit the sack early. Showered, dressed in black silk pajamas, he quietly collected his nightly contingent of medications:

3 caplets Cyclosporin (heart transplant)

5 caplets Azathioprin (rejection suppressant)

2 caplets Prednisolone (artificial kidneys)

4 caplets Muromonab CD3 (cyber-synaptic relays)

4 caplets Mycophenolate (bone marrow)

60mg Dopamine (cerebral stimulant)

3 caplets Celecoxyb (inflammation)

6 caplets Acetylsalicylic Acid (blood thinner)

As he replaced the containers in alphabetic order he stopped, tracing a finger along the label of one bottle he neglected nightly:

Benjamin Alexander Bradt

1224 North Coastway Road

SanAngeles, Ca 78006

**OxyPept** 160mg tablets (500 total)

Oxycodone 80mg – Acetaminophen 80mg

**Narcotic Painkiller **(**EXPERIMENTAL**)

Directions: Take two (2) tablets every six (6) hours, or as needed for pain. If necessary dosage exceeds eight (8) caplets in a twelve (12) hour period, please consult a physician.

Warning: OxyPept is an experimental drug combination, manufactured at the precise direction of a licensed medical practitioner, with the expressed written consent of the patient or legal guardian. The drug OxyPept is not recognized by the Food and Drug Administration and has no record or information regarding prolonged usage. Projected side effects include: Bleeding, Dizziness, Nausea, Impaired Judgment, Blurred Vision, Vertigo, Arrhythmia, Vomiting, Sedation, or Prolonged Unconsciousness. OxyPept should not be taken by any person without consulting a licensed physician.

Ben passed the container over again, beginning the walk towards his room and the hospital-like bed that awaited him. Exhausted, his mind wandered to the day he'd received the experimental drug.

"_Please Ben," his father begged him, pressing a few of the pills against the boy's lips, "This will help the pain."_

_His face screwed up in agony, tears streaming down his cheeks, he smacked his father's hand away. The nurse grabbed his remaining arm, pinning it down as the doctor handed his father two more pills. "Benjamin, these magic pills will make the bad pain go away, but you have to relax."_

"_Don't . . . patronize . . . me you . . . you QUACK!" Benjamin spat the words at the doctor, jerking his hand away from the nurse. He struggled to sit up, ignoring his father and the doctor, finally rising upright. The pain was excruciating, as if fire were eating its way out of his bones._

"_Ben, the pain is causing too much neural stress!" The doctor's voice was commanding, "You will do serious damage to yourself if you do not take these pills." He thrust his hand at the ten-year old, who pushed it back._

"_I will never live my life out of a pill bottle!"_

"But I do live out of a pill bottle," he murmured as he stopped under the portrait of his father, "Every day I have to choke down those miserable things, just to keep me alive, like an obsolete program, held together by hacker's patches: three so my heart will beat, two so I can eat, four so I have two arms and legs, four so my bones stay full of marrow, six to prevent a stroke, three so my joints will work, one so I don't waste away in a coma, and five so that the whole damn thing will pretend to cooperate. Between that lunatic and the airplane crash, I've lost everything." He laid his forehead against the cool mahogany of the computer desk, "The pain is all I have left; if I didn't have that, how would I know if I was still alive?"


	4. Cloistered, Like Me

_**Chapter 4**_

Ms. Mariko's class was silent but for the staccato scratching of pencils, signifying an exam. The students were spread out in various stages of test taking; some, like Dekao, scribbled slowly in the answer boxes, spending most of their time on sloppy doodles that seemed to signify their lack of pertinent knowledge. Most of the class scratched diligently at the paper or, like Netto, took several minutes to quietly grumble and complain over the difficulty of each question. A sparse few, mainly Yaito and Meiru, sat in quiet repose as the test neared its end, their neatly completed forms face down on their desks.

Every so often, Meiru would sneak a glance at Ben, who seemed to be avoiding everyone since the altercation a day ago. Even now he sat at his desk, staring blankly out the window, the untouched test sitting before him. She'd even sent Roll to deliver an e-mail to his PET, but the pink navi'd found the PET in firewall lockdown, and Bradt's navi nowhere to be seen. _Do you think he's mad at everyone for what happened?_ She e-mailed Yaito.

_Who's mad for what now?_

_Ben. Do you think he's mad at all of us for what happened with Dekao?_

_I don't know, but that'd be dumb. Besides, what do you care? Don't tell me you've decided you like this American better than you like Netto?_

Meiru's cheeks burned a vivid red as she read Yaito's reply mail. _I don't like either of them like THAT! I just wonder what happened between him and Dekao. We also had a discussion going before everyone showed up, and I'd like to finish it._

The scuffle of metal across tile alerted her, and as she turned she saw Ben rise from the desk, test in hand. He slowly walked towards Ms. Mariko's desk, his eyes cautiously shifting his gaze to Meiru. She smiled warmly at him, eyes curious and full of concern, and he shifted his gaze back to his feet as an embarrassed blush turned his face red. "Mariko-sensei, I must depart. I have an excusal note for the departure, and I have completed my test." He extended the test, somehow completed in under three minutes, as well as a note written on a formal letterhead. The teacher accepted both, looked over the test, and nodded her approval.

"I hope the rest of your day is an improvement, Mr. Bradt." He grimaced at her respectful address, forcing a smile onto his face before quickly slipping out of the class.

---

"This will be a piece of cake," the Gabcom rep said as he straightened his tie, "they're both kids! All I have to do is swoop in, spew some technical jargon, remind them that we're the largest videogame producer in the country, and they'll sign over their souls!"

The sales rep glowed proudly, delighted by his good fortune, but his assistant shook her head. "I don't think it wise to treat them like children, sir; one being the VP of IPC, and the other the President of Equinox in America, I'm sure they have their positions for good reasons."

The marketing representative glided in, smiling his ten-thousand watt smile and eagerly handed a business card and ink pen, embossed with the company logo, to each of the boys before him. "Good morning gentlemen; my name is Naru Kenichi, and I'm here to help you understand why a partnership with Gabcom is beneficial to your respective companies." He took a seat and slid a flash drive into the nearby projector, and a flashy slide show began to click by on the wall display.

"As you know, we're the largest videogame company in Electopia. But of course," the rep said non-chalantly, "I'm sure you boys are familiar with Malevolent Tenants, our latest Sci-Fi/First-Person Shooter/RPG/Action-Adventure/Strategy game. It's rated T for Romance/Gore/Profanity/Nudity and Excessive Zombie Slashing Violence and Mayhem; in fact, I've even brought a couple copies for you both, as a display of good will toward our mutual partnership." The rep slid a diskette to each of the boys, and continued. "IPC produces the finest computer hardware available on the domestic market, and Equinox creates software reality generators that revolutionize program synchronicity."

The rep pulled up a graph, showing comparisons between IPC and Equinox' respective products, including descriptions written in easy-to understand words, and proceeded to read over them, when one of the observes raised a gloved hand.

"Stop, I've had enough of this ridiculous presentation." The speaker steepled his hands, gazing coldly across them at the Gabcom rep, who suddenly became aware of the uncomfortable heat of the room. "I find it personally offensive that you seem to thing we can be won over by throwing cheap knick-knacks and videogames at us."

The rep opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as the vice-president of IPC nodded in agreement.

"I agree," the other said, tossing his black and white hair in an annoyed fashion, "and the over-simplification of our companies' respective products is condescending. I imagine that I could tell you things about IPC's products that you wouldn't comprehend, as I'm sure Mr. Bradt could do with Equinox's wares."

"But-" the salesman stammered, trying in vain to regain control of the conversation.

Eyes glinting behind his glasses, Ben's gaze needled the Gabcom rep, "the entire air of your presentation creates the concept that, because we are younger than you, we are blithering idiots with gerbil-like attention spans, who are liable to be so distracted by your surreptitious _bribery_ that we will turn our companies over to you without knowing what you would have us sign."

"We at IPC are offended that you would make such intimations against the company's judgement!" Enzan Ijuin rose from his seat, placing his palms against the tabletop and leaning towards the rep. "I have been placed in my current position by the company president, and shown my skills as a leader to the board numerous times, all of whom are very aware of my age. So, technically, you're insulting not only my intelligence, but the intelligence of twelve men and women who have been in this business an exponentially greater length of time than you, yourself, have been."

The rep opened his mouth again, but Ben silenced him with an upraised hand. "We will, however, be reasonable. Rather than hold your outrageously offensive attitude against Gabcom, we will instead view the transgressions as personal offenses you have visited upon us. Return to your company, expecting detailed communications to the president of Gabcom, detailing the minutes of our meeting."

The two corporate representatives looked expectantly at the sales rep, who hung his head, gathered his things, and quietly departed the conference room. After he left the two executives sat back down, looked at each other, and burst into uproarious laughter. After a few minutes passed and they finally began to catch their breath, Ben looked over to his associate. "Can you believe how ignorant that guy was?"

"I know," Enzan said, wiping a tear from his eye, "and when he called us boys? My God, I thought I would lose it there! I wasn't sure if I was going to laugh in his face or throw my cell phone at him." They shared another laugh, finally turning to face each other.

"Enzan Ijuin, vice-president of IPC."

"Ben Bradt, President of Equinox Industries." The pair shook hands, "want to get lunch?"

"Excellent idea, let's take my car."

"Good, cuz I don't have one." Ben grinned sheepishly, and Enzan laughed again. He had never met someone who could understand the burdens of being a young man in a seat of corporate power, and he had forgotten how good it felt to laugh.

---

" . . . ktor wake . . . iktor . . . up . . . viktor wake up . . . Viktor wake up . . . God_dammit_ Viktor wake the _hell_ up!" The scientist jerked numbly as a digitized voice screeched at him, and stiffly he raised his head from the metal examination table. He looked down, stupidly staring at the sketchbook he'd been drawing in the night before, knowing he should care about the puddle of drool that had ruined part of a sketch. "It's about friggin time Viktor, I've been shouting at you for an hour!"

". . . _mmgbgh wha?_" The scientist fumbled for his glasses, and upon finding them turned to face the speaker, finding Enker glaring at him from the screen of his black and gold PET. The navi's face was a mask of irritation, but his eyes showed something else; a spark of fear. ". . . well now that you have my attention Enker, what is so important it warrants your particular brand of gentleness in the field of awakenings?"

"Your creation, it's awake." The simple phrase invoked a myriad of emotions; surprise, fear, most notably the excitement that has sapped the grogginess from his mind. In seconds, he was awake and curious.

"What do you mean, it's awake?"

"What do you think I mean you effing retard? I came back from surfing the web, and found it walking around, acting like an autistic kid. I tried to leave, but your firewall is up and set to internal lockdown, so I can't get out." Enker moved so the scientist could get a look at it, and his breath froze in his throat.

Its body a shifting pulse of green and purple, with deadly spikes anointing every angle of its figure, every finger a tapered claw that leaked viscous black ooze. The eyes were the worst, a roiling purple that licked out of its eyes like eldritch flame; they peered through the screen, boring icy holes into Viktor's chest and making it hard to breathe.

"YO!" Enker snapped at the scientist, making him jump. "Drop the firewall and let me out! This fag virus keeps trying to touch me. It's really creeping me out."

"Trying to . . ." Viktor's eyes widened, "get out of there now Enker!" The scientist clicked a few buttons on the PET, and Enker exploded into a shower of pixels, leaving the enigmatic virus in solitude.

Viktor sighed in relief, setting the PET down.

"Human."

The inhuman voice chilled him, and slowly his eyes came to rest on the PET screen. ". . . what?"

"Human, answer me." The screen was completely filled by the virus' face, a single eye staring outward. "What am I?" Its digitized voice was harsh and inhuman.

"Uh . . ." Viktor paused, mesmerized, "you are . . . a virus."

The virus' inhuman features shifted subtly, assuming more natural contours, "A special virus?"

"Yes . . ." Viktor's voice was a whisper, his gaze lost in the mercurial depths of the purple flame, "a virus . . . to complete a genius' work."

"A genius, hmm?" The virus chuckled, his once inhuman voice swiftly assuming the seductive rumble of a cultured baritone. "Tell me more, I think I'm . . . remembering something."

"You are the combination . . . of my grandfather's . . . greatest work . . . and the . . . embodiment of . . . the hand of God."

"And did I have a name?" The virus' coloring shifted; the trunk became brown, developing features not unlike human clothing. The legs as well, each terminating in a glinting black foot, like polished leather.

"Yes . . . you were called . . . 'The Bloody Incubus' by . . . by your detractors." His face became angry, "they just . . . were too stupid to . . . recognize your genius."

"But I had another name, didn't I, Viktor?" The purple eyes burned like fire, in a face that assumed the colorings of flesh. Green spiked from the featureless scalp, until a sculpted mane of emerald hair drooped over the face, veiling those perfect eyes.

"Yes . . . a beautiful name . . . a name to . . . to match your perfect face." Viktor stiffened with a gasp as the virus' words seemed to be whispered in his ear, hot breath caressing his neck.

"Say my name," the baritone seductively murmured into his soul, "set me free. What was my name?"

" . . . Dante . . . Dante Menjari."

The verbal command sent waves of activity through the PET, disabling the firewall. The virus turned, purple eyes scanning the net, mouth smiling with the promise of revenge. Raking his claws along the subscape of the PET environment, Dante Menjari exploded into a burst of pixels. Seconds later, the PET exploded, hurling Viktor Regal to the floor. The scientist's head struck the corner of the metal examination table, and everything spiraled into blackness.

Somewhere, in the depths of his torpor, someone was laughing.

---

" . . . so by the time I got there, the virus had kicked the machine into overdrive, and Netto and his entourage were up to their wastes in ice cream. And for some reason, Dekao had come to the conclusion that he should eat his way out," Enzan stopped the story to laugh, amused more by the beet red his companion had turned than the memory itself.

Tears were streaked down Ben's cheeks as he struggled for breath. "No more," he begged, "you'll kill me." They laughed and took the time to compose themselves, ignoring the other restaurant patrons who cast them disapproving glances, "my lord, I can't breathe, it hurts to laugh."

"Thanks a lot for this Ben," Enzan chuckled and sipped his soda, "I don't have a lot of friends, so it's been a long time since I've been able to just cut loose and really laugh."

Ben raised his glass to Enzan, who tapped his drink against his companions, "it's my pleasure. I don't really have any friends around here either being as I've just moved. But what about Netto and the other net saviours? Aren't they your friends?"

"Make no mistake, I have a lot of respect for Netto and his operator skills, he is the only one who's ever beaten me." Enzan set his glass down, thoughtfully staring out at the bustling street, "but he . . ."

". . . is someone who acts their age and cannot possibly understand how it is to live the life you do, where you see everyone around you acting their ages like they're supposed to, like you're supposed to; but instead you have to put the future of your company, its employees, your stockholders, the buyer's market and your company's main purchasing demographic ahead of yourself. You feel trapped outside the world, looking in with more than a little envy, at people living a normal life you cannot attain." Ben stared into his glass, and Enzan looked back at him, puzzled by his friend's expression. He was talking about the same life that Enzan knew all too well, but there was something darker too.

"Yeah, that's basically it," Enzan turned to face his friend, "but I feel as if I've neglected you a chance to vent as well. Tell me about what's troubling you."

Ben looked at Enzan, apprehension flickering across his features, "it's a long boring story."

"I'm patient, and I need a day off."

After a long pause, Ben let out the breath he was holding. "Alright, but not here, my home." He raised a gloved hand, flagging the waiter down.

"Check please."


	5. Enter Forte, Exeunt the Judge

_**Chapter 5**_

Exhausted, Judge Reinhold DeMarquis closed his door and dropped the shade. Outside, the press clattered about, resisting the officers' attempts to force them off the property. Finally, the din died down, and the old man uttered a sigh of relief as blissful solitude embraced him. He quietly walked into his kitchen, the echo of his bare feet against the tile clicking ominously in the sterile environment. He began to rummage through the refrigerator, looking for something to eat, when the phone began to ring. He stopped searching, walked over to it, and lifted the receiver; as soon as he touched it an icy shiver ran through him, and the videophone's screen went black.

"Hello, this is Reinhold."

"Hello Judge DeMarquis, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me."

Another reporter. "Fine, but make it quick please."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, sir." The voice chuckled, but there was anything but mirth in it, "At the execution of Dante Menjari, you taunted him, correct?"

"Ridiculous," the judge scoffed, "is this some kind of gossip columnist? Because I refuse to have any of my words twisted so you can sell papers." Angrily, the judge slammed the phone down, turning to walk away.

"I was merely referring to reports of you making inferences to Menjari being some sort of retard." The vehement words came from the telephone's speaker, the connection continuing despite the receiver's relocation.

The judge reached a trembling hand out and grasped the receiver, attempting twice more to disconnect the call, to no avail. "He also claimed that he would come back from the grave to seek revenge on you and the jurors. Aren't you afraid, judge, that he will kill you?"

The judge stood, mesmerized in fear as colors began to appear on the video screen, swirling in hypnotic patterns, almost as if the screen were blistering. "It's impossible; no one comes back from the dead, especially not a monster like him."

The screen flickered to life, and the judge found himself staring into the burning purple eyes of Dante Menjari, just as he looked the day they found him: dressed in denim jeans, a silk shirt sewn to resemble blue flames intertwining, and a leather trench coat that brushed the silver tips of his cowboy boots. He ran a hand through his emerald hair and smiled at the judge, who could feel the blood draining from his face as his heart began to palpitate. "You see judge," Dante said as he reached out, tracing a black fingernail along the screen, "I told you that you would be the first to die."

As Reinhold watched in horror, the screen began to glow brighter, its surface blistering until it exploded outward, impaling the judge's head on a shard of glass. The old man died instantly, collapsing to the floor as the phone burst into flames. It would take the fire department hours to quell the raging inferno, and by the time it was done they could not sort the judge's body out of the wreckage, as everything had been burned to a fine gray ash.

That night, at exactly 3:37AM, every phone in DenTech city started to ring. The caller left no message, nor was there any number to trace, but anyone unfortunate enough to pick up the phone was rewarded with macabre laughter.

---

Enzan sighed in irritation, watching the fire engines shoot past. "I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is this traffic isn't going anywhere anytime soon." He slumped back in his seat, "so now what, want to talk about it here?"

---

Within the confines of Ben's PET, Blues appeared in a spiral of pixels, catching Boushi off guard; the red navi cringed, expecting Blues to recoil. "Hello, I am Blues, Enzan's navi." He extended a hand, which Boushi tentatively accepted.

"Boushi, Mr. Bradt's navi, obviously." He chuckled.

"Our operators seem to be otherwise occupied, would you care to net battle to pass the time?" Blues' hand shifted, becoming the trademark sword he was famous for.

"I'm, uh, not really net battle compliant," Boushi bowed apologetically, "I'm still in development and don't have any battle protocols."

"Well then, this was a waste of time," Blues turned to go.

"How about we play chess?"

"Chess?" Blues stopped, turning slightly, "what is 'chess' and how is it played?"

"One opponent wages war against the other, using a number of pieces, each of which fights in a unique way. It is a battle of skill that the masters have played for centuries." Boushi gestured, and a chessboard appeared before him; the red pieces before Blues were shaped like sword-wielding soldiers of differing design, with Blues himself as the king. Bushi's pieces were silver, and resembled ordinary navis, each of whom possessed mundane weapons. The king was different though, shaped like a great warrior in a sweeping robe, a great hammer clenched in his hands.

Blues downloaded the game's rules instantly, smiling with satisfaction as the game's challenge became clear to him. "Then let us play, Boushi, I hope you will be a challenge."

"Trust me, Blues," Boushi sounded as if he were smiling, "I never lose."

---

". . . no, let's take the subway." Enzan scowled, making Ben chuckle. "Come on Enzan, if I can tolerate being around people, a perfectly normal person like you should be just fine."

Enzan raised an eyebrow, "how not normal could you possibly be?" To answer, Ben slipped his glove off, exposing his cybernetic hand. Enzan's eyes widened slightly as he turned it over, examining the star logo and serial number, "Equinox' prototype prosthesis? I remember they pulled it from the Expo at the last minute, said they were taking it off-line for some bogus conflict."

"There is a lot more than just a hand," Ben slipped the glove back on, his mouth a grim line, "follow me home, and you'll see just how 'not normal' I can be."

"You've perked my interest, to the subway then." The pair slipped out of the limo, cautiously navigating the stream of immobile cars as they approached the sidewalk, and the subsequent metro line access. They merged into the crowd, letting the current of people lead them through the pay gate and into one of the waiting trains.

Ben grabbed Enzan's shoulder, leading him out of the commuter crowd and towards one of the more empty cars, sighing in relief as the oppressive weight of the people lifted. "I don't see what your hang up with the metro is; these ones are way nicer than the ones in New York."

Enzan scanned the car, "how about encountering people you have no desire to share company with?"

"Okay, I understand that." Ben shook his head, "but this is a big city, what are the odds o-"

"Enzan, Ben, what are you two doing here?" Meiru's musical voice exploded behind Ben, and his companion chuckled as a brilliant red shade exploded across the American's face.

"Hello Meiru," Enzan took the initiative and put himself between Ben and Meiru, giving his embarrassed friend a moment to cool his blush. "I see you and the rest of Netto's entourage are here." Enzan nodded to the group, acknowledging Netto, Dekao, Yaito, Jasmine, and Tohru. "What brings you out on such a day?"

"We'd planned to go to the Aquarium today," Netto voiced up, "we tried to invite you, but your secretary told us you were 'far too busy to go out and play' with us."

"I suppose that is a fairly accurate response, considering the caller," Enzan crooked an eyebrow at Netto challengingly. Netto leapt at the bait, and the pair descended into conflict.

---

Within Netto's familiar blue PET, Rockman shook his head disapprovingly, "again and again, you'd think he'd have learned by now to detect when someone's baiting him." Roll nodded in agreement, glancing back toward the group. Gutsman, as was normal, was attempting to show off for Medi my smashing some Mettool viruses that he'd found skittering about; Medi, obviously not impressed, was chatting with Iceman and Glyde.

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join?" The navis paused, turning to see the familiar form of Blues as he materialized before them. He stepped forward, towering over Rockman, smiling at Roll. "I figured I might as well make sociable company, seeing as Enzan has joined the others as well." He turned to face Rockman, "I attempted to include Bradt's navi, but he refused to come with. He seems . . . socially petrified."

"Boushi's here?!" Rockman grinned broadly, exploding into pixels.

---

Alone in Bradt's PET, Boushi had resumed decoding data he'd collected from the SciLab servers, when a blue navi materialized before him. Boushi closed the data screen, running to embrace the newcomer. "Saito!"

Saito hugged the red navi, "I've missed you my friend, where have you been?"

"Mr. Bradt has been running numerous updates on me, trying to complete my program design, so I've been based mostly from the home PC."

"It's so good to see you," Rockman chuckled again and released Boushi, "my friends are back in Netto's PET, why not come and meet them?"

Boushi stiffened at the concept, "I . . . I can't Saito. I'm sorry." He drew away, and his faceplate once again flickered ineffectually as he tried to display emotions he lacked the facial features to express. "I'm such a freak, I can't be seen. I can't stand the judging, the looks of horror or pity that my . . . monstrous appearance invokes."

"I don't think you're a monster," Rockman walked forward, laying a blue hand on Boushi's shoulder, "and my friends won't either, they're better people than that."

Boushi lowered his head, in contemplation Saito surmised, "very well Saito. I trust you."

"Great," Saito grinned and grabbed Boushi's hand, "I can't wait to introduce you." The pair exploded in a burst of pixels.

---

"Where did Rock just go?" Roll looked around confusedly, "he was just here!"

"Probably to cajole Bradt's navi into coming over here for introductions," Blues crossed his arms, "Boushi, as he calls himself, is afraid of people."

"Ooh, how cute!" Medi chimed in, "he's shy! I can't wait to meet him!"

Rockman appeared in a flash, and as he turned to greet his friends, a great red virus reared up behind him. Its featureless face was a mask of death, and the blue navi had his back turned to the black claws it raised to strike him. "Virus," Medi shrieked out, hurling one of her capsule bombs at the red monster. Drawn by her cries, Glyde and Iceman opened fire as well, and Gutsman slammed his hammer fist into the ground, sending a shockwave snaking towards the virus.

Boushi threw his hands up to guard himself, but it was Rockman who intercepted the blows, his allies' attacks blasting backwards into his friend. Crying out, the blue navi slammed backwards into Boushi, and the pair went sliding across the landscape. The group ran to aid their friend, Roll reaching them first as Boushi climbed out from under his friend. He glanced down, seeing Saito's face twisted with pain, as Roll laid her hands on him to help in his healing.

The red navi balled his hands into fists, and as the attackers reached him he lashed out, catching Medi across the temple and knocking her down. She put a hand up to her face, shocked. "What the _HELL_ is _WRONG_ with you people?!" Boushi roared at them, causing Glyde and Iceman to step back, "Saito leads me here to meet you all, and you nearly kill him? What the f-" he threw his hands up in exasperation, unable to continue. He returned to his friend, kneeling beside Roll. "How badly damaged is he?"

"Pretty banged up, but he'll live," Roll knit her brows in concentration.

Medi rose up and walked toward Boushi, "look, I'm really sorry." She reached toward the red navi, "you appear damaged, let me h-" Boushi slapped her hand away, and she cringed.

"I don't want your pity, especially not from some shallow, self-righteous bitch in white. I've dealt with hate before, but never to the extreme you've shown me, you're lower than anything I have ever had the misfortune to see." Boushi spat the words out in bitter rage, and as he turned to leave Gutsman clamped down on his shoulder.

"Red navi hurt Medi, Gutsman smash, degutsu." The huge navi swung, but Boushi exploded into pixels before the fist connected.

---

Netto was jerked from his argument with Enzan as an alarm went off on his PET, and as he checked it he gasped at the damage display. "Holy crap, Rockman! What happened?"

"A slight misunderstanding," Roll's voice came through the speaker, tinged with concern, "he's damaged but he'll be fine with some healing."

With the screech of metal the metro line train shook, hurling it everyone standing to the ground. PETs and bags went skidding as the accelerating train lurched forward, and an ominous voice cracked to life over the intercom. "_ROCKMAN!_"

Dazed, the voice that called his name snapped him back to reality, and he clamored to his feet, "Forte!"

"Rockman, I know you are on this train, so listen well; I have assumed control of this system, and unless you come face me immediately, I will kill every human aboard. Do not bring your little friends," Forte sneered through the intercom, "as I will tolerate no interruptions to our fight. You know how little the life of a human means to me, so make no mistake of my intentions."

"Rock, you can't fight him now, you're too badly hurt!"

"I have to go Roll," the blue navi smiled reassuringly, "I've beaten him before, I can do it again." He turned his face skyward, "you ready Netto?"

"Let's do this," Rockman's operator eagerly replied. The other navis jacked out of the PET, and as the doors opened, Netto marched through them on his way to the engine, each door snapping shut behind him.

The others looked at each other; "so, do we let him go alone?" Meiru said curiously, eyeing her friends.

Enzan walked over to the door control, jacking his PET into the access slot, "not on his life." In agreement, the others walked up and jacked themselves in. Ben watched them go and moved himself to the end of the car; he lifted his PET, clicking the buttons, but Boushi was nowhere to be seen.


	6. The Duel

_**Chapter 6**_

Forever impatient, Forte tapped his foot as he waited for his opponent to arrive; watching Netto navigate through the train's doorways, he locked each one behind the human, ensuring his friends would not interfere. Time and again the blue one had bested him in combat, but now he would win. He had made certain . . . preparations, to the fact.

In a flurry of blue pixels, Rockman appeared before the cloaked navi, a look of determination in his eyes. The bodies of the metro line's programs lay scattered about, unmoving, which only served to further anger the blue navi. "Netto, do you copy?"

"Go ahead, Rockman."

"He's taken out all the program navis," Rockman glared angrily at Forte, "even if I beat him, the system won't reengage."

"Someone will have to manually activate the throttle controls," Forte chuckled darkly. "The only human in the engineer's cabin is your precious Netto, and he would have to stop operating you in order to activate the braking controls, making you without those accursed battle chips. So Netto, what will it be?" Forte grinned viciously, "Save your friends, or save your navi?"

"What do you say Rockman, you think you can beat fish-head fast?"

"Easy enough," the blue navi sighted his buster, "slot me some battle chips and let's get it on."

"Activating zeta cannon program advance," Netto slotted the chips, and his navi's buster changed into a large cannon."

With a roar, the blue navi charged Forte, "Let's rock!"

Laughing triumphantly Forte summoned up his Gatling buster and raced to meet his foe.

---

Her antennae resuming their natural position, Roll turned and grimly delivered a summary of what she'd overheard on the engineer's cabin microphone. "So, what are we gonna do?"

"Gutsman smash Forte, degutsu!" The huge navi slammed his fists into the ground.

"In order to preserve the lives on this train, I feel it imperative that we disregard Forte's warning and lend Rockman our support." Glyde crossed his arms, "I'm sure our operators agree."

"Agreed," was Enzan's reply.

"Be careful Roll, we know how dangerous Forte is!"

"Don't worry Meiru, Gutsman will make sure nothing hurts Roll, and I'll make sure Forte can't hurt you."

"Yeah, but who'll protect you Dekao?"

"Shut up Yaito!" Tohru sniggered as Dekao frowned angrily.

"Then it's agreed," Blues drew his sword, "we go now, attack swift and hard, and take Forte down once and for all!"

"Agreed!" The navis all drew their weapons, charging across the cyberscape toward the combat in the distance.

"Rock, please be careful" Roll whispered as she flew, her levitation allowing her to easily speed ahead of the other navis.

---

Roaring, Forte sprayed a deadly stream of Vulcan fire at Rockman, who rushed in a ring pattern, the attack's shots blasting flecks of the ground out from under his heels. The blue navi returned fire, the zeta cannon booming loudly as its massive blasts tore chunks out of the ground around Forte. "Netto," Rockman shouted, send me Stone Cube, Dash, Cold Punch, and Guts Punch!"

"Battle chips in!"

The stone cube slammed down before Rockman, Forte's shots chattering against it ineffectively. The blue navi activated the fist, slamming it into the cube, and the massive block rocketed across the field at Forte. With a surprised shout the cloaked figure leapt over it, bringing his gun to bear. Unknowingly he passed into the field of Rockman's program advance, and the stream of rocket punches rocked him backwards as fist after powerful fist slammed the stunned navi aloft. Disoriented, Forte could not right himself and slammed into the ground with a thud, groaning softly.

"Netto, slot in hero sword, I've got him!" The huge fist shifted into a glimmering sword, and Rockman leapt at the stunned Forte, swinging the deadly blade down. Shaking his head, Forte rolled free at the last second, and the hero sword tore a wicked crevice into the ground, missing him by inches.

Forte growled and formed a dark sword, slashing at Rockman, who parried the ebony blade with his own. They exchanged blows, the swords clanging against each other, narrowly missing their wielders in quickly shrinking increments of space. Finally, they locked swords, Forte grinning at his opponent. "I thank you for facing me Rockman; I know no thrill greater than our conflicts."

"Thank you Forte," Rockman grunted as he pushed against Forte's oppressive weight, "it is an honor to receive praise from such a worthy opponent."

"A shame I will not be facing you again!"

"I was just thinking the same thing!"

Forte's burning hand lashed out, and as the Hell's Rolling slammed into the hero sword, it cracked, and the weight of the dark blade shattered Rockman's sword. Gasping in surprise, the blue navi twisted himself sharply, the attacks passing within a hair's breath of his face. He leapt backwards, hurling an energy bomb at Forte, who leapt away from the shining explosive.

"Geddon chip, in!"

As Forte landed, he felt the ground give way, and as he plunged through a hole in the landscape he thrust a hand up, grasping the lip of the adjacent panel. He dragged himself up, looking around. Every panel across the field was cracked and fragile, meaning if he were to land hard or even jump, it might collapse and pitch him into oblivion. Across the way, Rockman hovered above the ground, buster charging. "Air shoes and cracked panels," Forte nodded approvingly, "I'm impressed! You've never fought me with such vigor!"

"It's always been you and I, Forte. You put a lot of innocent lives at stake this time, and that means I cannot afford you the luxury of mercy."

"Then I am privileged to fight you at full strength, which will make your defeat all the more prized."

"Stop wasting my time." The charged shot lashed across the field, striking Forte in the chest and knocking him backward, smashing through a cracked panel and plunging into the depths. Rockman watched him fall, targeting a shot after him to ensure he not return.

"Area Steal!" Forte appeared behind Rockman, touching his boot and copying the Air Shoes' levitation, and as Rockman turned he was greeted by a hovering Forte, his cloak unfurled and flying around him as if in a breeze. "Now, let us try this again."

A wordless cry on his lips, Rockman activated a conveniently slotted bamboo sword, but it shattered on contact with the barrier Forte threw around himself, and as the shock of his speed registered on Rockman's face, Forte swung a rapidly expanding fist. "Golem Hit," he shouted as rammed the great stone fist into Rockman's side, sending spasms of pain through the blue navi. Already damaged from the fight earlier, the powerful blow shattered his focus, and with a sickening lurch his Airshoes cancelled out, and he plunged toward the damaged ground.

Rockman cried out as he hit one of the broken panels, the material giving away, and if not for his instinctual impulse to flail his arms and catch the side of another panel, he would have fallen into the darkness. He dragged himself out of the hole, pulling himself to his knees on the nearby panel, glaring up in shock at Forte. "What was that . . . I've . . . never seen that kind of attack before."

Forte laughed, floating closer to the blue navi, "my poor, pathetic Rockman. Do you think that, just because I don't have one of your _precious_ human operators, I cannot grow or advance in power? New viruses are created everyday, and when I see them display something I find interesting, I take it for my own. I have a full repertoire of attacks I've collected, for no other reason than to destroy you once and for all."

"I shouldn't have let my guard down, it's my own fault for getting overconfident, but you'll forgive me if I don't just lay here and wait to die," Rockman gritted his teeth and rose to his feet, one hand clamped over his damaged side.

"Standing or kneeling, silent or begging, it doesn't matter to me how you face death, so long as you face it." As Forte brought his Vulcan up, a wave washed over the field, and each of the broken panels was restored. As Forte prepared to fire, several navis appeared around him.

"Roll Flash!"

"Mega Cannon!"

"Vari-sword!"

"Boomer3!"

Bright pink heart-shaped blades tore into Forte's cloak, knocking him to the side, and his Vulcan shot whizzed off into the distance, exploding as it struck another causeway, crumbling it to dust. The mega cannon's massive shot hit him in the face, and as he was flung backward Blues appeared, his vari-sword slashing a vicious arc across the cloaked navi's back, causing him to scream in pain as the boomer caught him across the chest, hurling him to the ground.

Rockman looked in surprise as his friends rushed to his side, targeting Forte's crumpled form with an array of deadly attacks. "What are you all doing here?"

"We can't very well let you have all the fun." Blues smiled slightly as he cracked his neck.

"Friends always back their friends up." Glyde cocked the mega cannon, preparing to fire again.

"And best friends are never very far away." Medi giggled and hugged Rockman, which made Roll scowl angrily at the nurse navi.

"I'm disappointed in you," Forte growled as he clamored to his feet, "I wanted an honorable fight, and I thought we were in agreement that your little friends were to stay out of it."

"What kind of honor is it when you're forcing Rockman to fight, by holding innocent hostages?" Iceman stuck his tongue out at Forte, "that's a dirty, underhanded tactic if ever there was one."

"Gutsman smash Forte, degutsu." The massive navi crossed his arms in defiance.

Iceman hurled an ice seed at Forte, and as the panels turned slick he rocketed across, using the ice to increase his agility, becoming a blur as he dashed to rake Forte's side with an aqua sword.

As the small navi drew the blade back, Forte lashed out with a kick, sending Iceman skittering back toward his allies. Roll dashed over to aid him, but was cut off as a massive cragger virus rose from the ground, grasping the slender navi in its stony fist.

Viruses began to appear around the navis; Blues lashed out at a darkmech virus that appeared before him, only to have its associate slash him across the back. Blues fell to his knees, and both viruses placed their blades at his throat. Iceman sat up, finding a killereye virus inches from his face, its electric cannon leveled at his chest emblem. Medi found herself surrounded by nightmare viruses, their wicked blades poised. Glyde and Gutsman took two steps before the Timpani virus behind them struck, rendering them both paralyzed.

"Forte!" Rockman shouted angrily, "release my friends now!"

"I told you what would happen if they interfered." The cloaked navi dusted himself off, "now, rather than have them able to stop the train in the event of your defeat; if you die, they die."


	7. Interrupted

_**Chapter 7**_

"Oh no, what are we going to do?" Jasmine wailed at the sight of her navi, surrounded by the dangerous viruses.

"We have to get to the engine and stop this thing ourselves!" Ben rose from his seat, walking toward the door controls.

Dekao put a hand on the American's chest, pushing him back. "Just what are you going to do that I can't, freak?"

The word sent a spike of rage through Ben, and he knotted his fists angrily. "I'm not sure yet, Fatty McGee, but if you move your planetoid of an ass out of my way maybe I'll _THINK_ of something!" Ben snarled and pushed Dekao, toppling the bigger boy. He examined the control panel, and then turned to look around the car, his gaze settling on Dekao's picnic pack. "I need a knife, the stylus from my PET, Dekao's cooler, an umbrella, and a fire extinguisher."

The group exploded into activity; Jasmine retrieved a Swiss army knife from her medical kit, while Meiru collected an umbrella from a willing passenger. Enzan retrieved the discarded PET and a fire extinguisher. Ben took the Swiss army knife and rammed it into the lunch box, sawing the plastic lining open. "Hey, that's mine!" Dekao shouted as he reached for the lunch box.

Tohru slapped his hand, "dude, shut up, if it'll save our lives I'll buy you a new one!"

Ben jerked the knife, releasing a gout of white, and he jerked his hand out, cursing. He reached back in with his right hand, and tore the Freon cartridge from the bag. "What are you doing?" Enzan asked, the group crowding in out of curiosity.

"First, I spray the contents of the Freon canister on the control panel." Ben un-pinched the hose, and the super-cooled gas hissed out, sending broad bands of frost across the plastic surface. He then swung his fist at it, the brittle plate shattering under the gloved prosthesis.

"I get it," Meiru said as she started shredding the parasol, "then you use the metal arms of the umbrella to bridge the connections in the control panel, shorting out the computer's control of the door!"

"Smart girl," Ben smiled as he took the metal tines from Meiru, inserting them into the connectors on the control panel. The metal sparked furiously, and the wires melted as a burst of fire ignited the rubber insulators. A quick burst from the fire extinguisher Enzan was holding, and the flames were out.

"So you hack this door, so what?" Dekao crossed his arms, "big deal, I bet the others are locked as well."

"Probably, but shut up and watch." Ben used his stylus to nudge two wires together, and with a hiss the doors opened, allowing them access to the next car. Ben grabbed the fire axe from the lock box by the door. "Enzan, do as I do," Ben shouted as he grabbed another fire extinguisher. He set the cooler a few seats down from the window to the next car, shouldered the axe and swung hard, severing the spout. The extinguisher launched forward, smashing the safety glass window halfway out.

"Continue on like that, moving the passengers to the back of the train," Ben passed his fire axe to Enzan, "in the event we can't stop the engine then disconnect the rest of the cars from it. The train will slow down without the engine's force, and if it hits anything then the empty cars will serve as an impact buffer."

With the screech of metal the train jumped, throwing its riders about in chaos. With a shocked cry, Meiru felt herself lift off the floor, and saw a rapidly approaching window. She curled into a ball, but felt something contact her before she heard the glass crunch, and opened her eyes to darkness. She drew her head back, dispelling the smell of cologne, and found she was embraced against an Armani clad chest. Someone had placed themselves between her and the window, and glancing up expecting to see Enzan, she instead found herself staring into the icy blue eyes of the American.

"You saved me," Meiru smiled at him, then blushed intensely. Ben blushed back, and they both busied themselves with checking on the others. "What happened just now?"

Ben opened the side door, risking a glance down the tunnel. "It looks like we jumped track for a few seconds at the last corner," he squinted at the train's front. "Shit, it looks like we made contact with the wall; the front end has impact damage."

"What about Netto?" Jasmine and Meiru chimed in unison.

"I'll make sure he's ok." Ben slipped off his jacket, tossing it onto a bench, and started for the opened side door. As he reached a hand out, Meiru grabbed his prosthetic arm.

"Where are you going?" She pulled him to face her, eyes full of concern.

"I'm going to save your boyfriend."

Meiru blushed, "he's not my boyfriend" she shouted at him, voice almost lost over the rush of air.

Ben paused for a second, a flicker of hope making his heart flutter, "I'll remember that." He turned, grasped the maintenance ladder, and ascended to the metro line's roof.

---

"Rockman, let's go all out," Netto's voice rang out in the blue navi's helmet mic, "I've slotted slasher, stepsword, and flamehook."

Rockman teleported across the field, lashing at Forte with his stepsword, which Forte dodged while laughing at him. Rockman appeared back on his side, and as he turned Forte was there, swinging his dark sword. The slasher chip kicked in, and Rockman wailed on Forte with series of deadly sword strikes, causing the cloaked navi to drop his sword and throw his arms up to shield himself. The hail of blades subsided, and as Forte opened his guard a great fiery fist arced downward, smashing him with enough force to hurl him several panels away.

Forte leapt to his feet, roaring angrily, and charged Rockman. He swung his arm, and a great wave of energy shot forward; the blue navi leapt to the side to dodge it, but as it passed him it exploded outward, and the ensuing blast hurled Rockman forward. As he flew forward, Forte caught him in midair with the deadly swing of his life sword, and the blue navi screamed as he was thrown to the ground, a terrible slash nearly cutting him in half. Roll screamed in fury, struggling against the cragger's grip, her antennae whipping futilely at its massive stony arm. The others shouted cries of encouragement to their friend, but their voices held the edge of fear.

Alarms went off in the system, and as Rockman struggled to rise, Netto's voice crackled in his ear. "Hold on Rockman, I'm going to slot in a rec-" Netto's voice was cut off by the screech of metal and a loud crunch. Netto screamed once, and then fell silent.

"Netto? Netto!" Rockman tried to move and screamed as pain tore through him. He collapsed, forming his arm into his buster, and as he brought it up to aim, Forte stomped down on his wrist, pinning the gun arm down.

"It seems something has happened to your dear Netto," Forte's mouth was a cruel smile, "oh irony. Can you see him, crumpled form in the cockpit, bleeding to death; those other humans pressed against the glass, some crying because they cannot help him, others transfixed by the sight of a dying child. I wish I could let you watch him die, just so I could watch you suffer more."

"Shut up you bastard!" Rockman struggled against Forte, tears streaming down his face, "I'll kill you, I swear to God I'll kill you!" He tried to get free, but the cloaked navi held him securely.

"Don't lament him; I'll make sure he finds you waiting on the other side." Forte smiled, pointing his arm cannon at Rockman, mere inches between its barrel and the blue navi's emblem.

"Saito!" The cry cut through the air, and as Forte turned he saw a red navi sprinting toward him; the featureless navi was a blur, its clawed arms wind-milling at its sides, and as Forte brought his gun up to fire the navi pounced, vanishing as it merged with Forte's code. Laughing maniacally Forte turned both his arms into Vulcan cannons and opened fire. The deadly shots chewed through the viruses that held the other navis, and in a few seconds they were free. They rushed to Rockman's side, but stopped in shock as Forte approached the crumpled blue navi, kneeling at his side.

Rockman opened his eyes weakly as someone began to heal him, and much to his surprise, he found himself staring into the red-glazed eyes of Forte. The cloaked navi had a palm pressed against his chest, and slowly Rockman could feel his strength returning as Forte's own strength was channeled into him. "Forte . . . what . . . ?" He stared in confusion at that haggard face, now serene and full of compassion, until a wave of realization passed through him. "Boushi?"

"Don't move Saito, you're still very badly hurt." Forte rose to his feet, eyes focusing on Roll and Medi, "he is stabilized. Heal him quickly and return to your PETs, your operators are at this moment making their way to the engine.

"What about Netto?" Rockman grabbed Forte's foot, "Boushi, is Netto ok?"

"He is unconscious, but otherwise strong." Forte turned and walked away from the group, "I am going to take Forte somewhere far away before releasing him, so make sure you're all good and gone by the time I do; I can feel his rage, and he will seek you all out to vent his fury upon." Not waiting for a reply, the cloaked navi disappeared in a black swirl of pixels

---

Inch by agonizing inch, Ben dragged himself along the cold metal roof of the metro line; several times the train bucked, and he nearly slid off the top, but he clamped down as hard as he could and continued on. After what seemed like an eternity his hand grasped a jagged wrinkle in the metal, and as he looked up he found himself at the head of the train.

The damage was terrible; traveling at one-hundred and fifty-five miles per hour, the train's nose had partially jumped track and slammed into the concrete tunnel wall. The magnetic rails had pulled it back on, but the impact had torn a ragged hole in its front, and from what he could see from the shower of sparks, the control console was badly damaged. "Luck of the Irish indeed," Ben murmured as he swung around, lowering himself into the cabin.

Upon entry he immediately checked Netto's crumpled form; when the train had jumped track, the net saviour had been thrown into the cabin's door; aside from a bruise on his head he was fine. Ben glanced out the window as he heard a crack, and found Enzan swinging the fire axe at the cabin door. He clicked a few buttons, and with a pneumatic hiss, the door slid open.

---

The task of breaking into the cars had been relatively easy, and much like the others Meiru held her breath as Enzan tried to batter the engine room door open; she found herself furtively praying, sometimes that Netto would be fine, at other times that Ben would be ok. As the door hissed open Enzan stepped back, bumping into her, and as the metal panel slid out of the way she was greeted by Ben's exhausted face.

"Netto's unconscious, but fine" was all he said before returning to the cabin's interior, and as the net saviours entered they were greeted by the devastation.

"The control's demolished," Enzan shouted to Ben, "let's pull the lock release and disengage the engine car."

"The navis are still inside the computer," Tohru shouted, "if we lose the engine then we lose them!"

"Better them than us!" Dekao grabbed Tohru and Yaito, dragging them into the previous car. "Besides, we have to make sure that the other people make it out ok."

"Come on Ben," Yaito shouted, "Enzan has Netto, we have to go!"

"No!" The American shouted angrily, "Boushi is all I have left! Disconnect the trailers; I'm staying behind to get my navi back!"

Enzan grabbed his arm, "don't be foolish man, we have to go now!"

Reluctantly, Ben followed, but as he and Enzan approached the second car he shoved the net saviour. Enzan pitched forward, landing on top of Dekao and Netto. As he scrambled to rise, Ben dropped to one knee and pulled the release handle, and with a hiss and a crack the cars began to separate. "I'm staying behind, wish me luck," Ben shouted before turning away.

As he approached the console, he heard a shout, and as he turned he was driven to the floor as Enzan tackled him, face red with anger. "Dammit Ben, you American hotshot, this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!"

Shocked, Ben slowly grinned, "then why did you jump across?"

"Because, aside from Blues, you're the closest thing I have to a best friend, and I'll be damned if I let you take all the glory."

The two laughed, "Alright then. Now, if you'll kindly get off me, we can see about stopping this train." Enzan chuckled and lifted himself off the American, extending a hand and helping his friend rise. Together, they returned to the ruined console, examining the tangled mess of wires. "Ok, I think that we can cobble together a kill switch, but we'll have to work fast."

"Ok Ben, tell me what to do."

"Check the control booth over there; see if there is any kind of tool kit."

"What can I do?" The pair turned to see Meiru, Dekao's cooler slung over her shoulder. Behind her, they could see the secondary car drifting away, and the others clinging to Dekao to prevent him from attempting to follow.

"Meiru, you should-"

The pink haired girl jabbed a finger in Enzan's chest, "don't you start. I'm just as smart as either of you, and I have just as much invested in your success. I have as much of a right to be here as you do, Enzan Ijuin."

The boys were shocked for a second, and then Enzan spoke up. "I was just going to say you shouldn't have let them stop Dekao from trying to jump." Ben sniggered, and even Meiru found herself giggling.

Ben felt a pang of jealousy and cleared his throat, "alright you two, do you think we could get back to this whole 'impending doom' thing?" He stepped between them, "did you bring Jasmine's Swiss army knife?" The girl produced it from the cooler, and Ben handed it to Enzan. "Enzan, start taking apart that radio console. Meiru, you check the closet over there for any tools." As the others went about their tasks, Ben started tracing wires from the open console. Every so often, when she wasn't looking, Ben found himself risking a glance at the pink haired net saviour.

Meiru found a tool box, and an unconscious driver, in the closet. She went over to help Enzan, and in a few minutes they had managed to open the panel up. At Ben's direction, they removed the transmission breaker, and the American hooked it up to the breaking system. "Let's hope this works," he said as he flipped the breaker. Immediately, the breaks slammed down, locking the wheels. Ben slammed into the console, while Meiru slammed into him; Enzan retained his footing by grabbing the driver's chair, which was bolted to the floor. For a few seconds they felt the train slow down, but with a loud crack the breaker disengaged, and the train began to speed up again.

"It didn't work, what happened?" Enzan's face was confused as he approached Ben.

Ben helped Meiru up to her feet, trying not to think about how much he loved the way she smelled, "the breaker is designed to kick out if it receives too much resistance, to prevent permanent system damage. With the engine cranking to full, there's too much engine power for the breaks to handle." He looked over at the console, "we need to find a way to divert the impulses from the accelerator."

As Ben and Enzan started going over the board's layout, Meiru's net phone began to ring. "This is Meiru."

"Meiru, it's Netto."

Meiru's heart fluttered, "oh my God, I'm so glad you're ok, I was so worried. I-"

"Listen to me," Netto shouted nervously over the phone, "I'm at the train dispatch station. They say that the train's distress program has been activated; it's making a straight line for the repair station, and at your present speed you'll be there in about five minutes. You have three minutes to slow it down; It's a dead end tunnel!"

Meiru hung up the phone and ran to Enzan's side, "Netto says we have to stop this train in three minutes, or we're going to hit a wall."

"Alright then," Ben grabbed hold of the kill switch and handed it to Enzan, "You hit this when I divert the power from the accelerator." He pointed at a control board, "Meiru, as soon as our speed drops below ninety, deploy these. Their reverse sails, they'll catch air as we speed and force us to slow down further. When we hit thirty-five, the engine safety switch should kill it."

"And if it doesn't?" Meiru looked at the switch in Enzan's hand.

"We pull the master power connection."

"Why not just do that?" Enzan asked.

"Because whoever does that will be the recipient of nearly eighty thousand volts of electricity," Ben crossed his arms, "whoever pulls that, dies."


	8. The Castle Crumbles

_**Chapter 8**_

Forte was standing on the edge of the Undernet, staring across the void with red eyes; those who saw him gave him a wide berth, knowing his reputation for violence. They assumed he was in reflection. They assumed he was thinking of another way to challenge Serenade. They were wrong.

Inside Forte's mind, Boushi stood with his arms crossed, observing Forte's struggle; the cloaked navi was bound to a column of data by crackling red bonds. "Release me you . . . you no faced _FREAK_!"

Boushi chuckled, "I've no intention of keeping your form Forte. Now that Saito is safe and with his friends, I've got no use for you."

Forte growled menacingly, "the moment you give me back control, I'll destroy you."

"You make any action against me, and I'll jump back in and leave you in a more compromising position; say, plummeting over the side of that huge crevice in the square, or in a detention system at SciLabs, back in Cossack's care." Forte didn't respond, but genuine fear flickered across his eyes, and Boushi smiled inwardly.

". . . fine, I'll be generous," Forte turned away nonchalantly, "release me here, and I'll allow you to leave peacefully."

Boushi wished he had eyes to roll, "how generous indeed." He willed the energy away, and he separated from his host, and for the first time he and Forte stood almost face to face, examining each other. 'Why do you hate navis who partner up with humans, Forte?"

"Because it makes them weak!" The cloaked navi unconsciously clenched his fist, "navis like you are so dependant on their operators for support, that if you ever get into a fight without them you're sunk. Any real strength you might have relies on battle chips," he sneered mockingly."

"Get something straight Forte," Boushi jabbed him in the chest with a claw, "my taking you for a joyride back there, had nothing to do with my operator. He doesn't have the slightest idea of what I'm doing right now. Hacking navis and programs is an ability I built into myself; I'm not made for combat, I don't have any weapons, I couldn't even access battle chips if Ben slotted them in. I was a detonator matrix, I blew up a bomb and killed a lot of humans, and Ben took my base code from the detonator and started building me; he hated the fact that I didn't get to choose how I lived my life, so he decided to make me capable of autonomous operation." The red navi turned his back on Forte, looking across the Undernet, "Ben knows nothing of what I do, unless I allow him to. The PET he keeps isn't necessary to my survival, it's just a place where I sleep. I'm independent, like you, and neither I nor my operator deserves your holier-than-thou treatment."

For the first time since they'd separated, Forte really examined Boushi, and realized just how weak the navi was. "I could delete you with a single punch, but you still were willing to try and hack me, to save Rockman."

"He's my best friend, aside from my operator." The featureless navi turned to face Forte, but found the cloaked navi walking away.

"I challenge you, Boushi," Forte said as he walked away. "become strong enough to fight, and when you are complete you will face me in combat."

"Count on it."

---

Even with the brakes locked, the train wasn't slowing down enough. Ben managed to divert half of the engine's power through auxiliary systems; even now the interior lighting was so bright it almost burned them, and the radio squelched garbled static in nearly deafening tones, but there was still too much energy driving the engine.

"We're running out of time," Meiru shouted as she squinted through the windshield, "we're entering the tunnel that leads to the repair station."

"What's our speed?" Ben shouted over the static, Enzan's suit coat wrapped around his face like a scarf, protecting him from the constant spray of sparks.

"Eighty-five," Enzan shouted back, the breaker clamped in his hands. The ICP vice-president had managed to disable the switch's auto-disengage ability, hoping that the brakes would help.

"Release the sails!"

"We're going too fast," Meiru shouted as she grabbed the remote, "won't they shear off?"

"Maybe, but I'm running out of ideas!" Glancing at the American, Meiru could see the cloth around his face starting to smolder in places, and she slammed down the release button. With a resounding crack, panels on the train's surface lifted up, ballooning out as the whipping wind filled the metal canopies. The train jerked suddenly from the resistance, its speed dropping dramatically. The sails strained, their metal frames screeching in protest, but by some miracle they held.

"Speed down to sixty," Enzan laughed, "we just might pull this off."

"I can see the wall!" Meiru's voice cracked as she spoke. The train jerked again, and with a screech, one of the sails tore free of the body.

"Speed at sixty-three," Enzan swore, "the body damage creates drag, but not enough to be significant. I'm not feeling so good about this impact; sixty-three miles per hour, with three unrestrained passengers. That's going to squeeze us through the rivet holes."

Ben glanced at Meiru, who met his eyes bravely. She had tears in those beautiful brown eyes, but he couldn't tell if it was because she was going to die or because the wind that blasted through the hole on the train's front was biting her face. Seeing her even more beautiful in sorrow, seeing Enzan bravely staring down his own demise, Ben knew he could not let his friends die. Steeling himself, he reach down and grasped the main power conduit; Enzan saw him and shouted, but his words were whipped away in the wind, and with a roar Ben tore the thick cable from the control system.

The cabin interior was lit by lightning-like flashes as the train's power was conducted into the American's body; because Ben had grabbed the cord with his artificial arm the electricity was dampened somewhat, but he could still feel the power play havoc with the electrical implants inside of him. Without power to the engine the brakes were much more effective, and the three were hurled forward as the train jerked to a screeching halt. As Ben felt himself thrown through the hole in the cabin, the electrical line was savagely jerked from his grasp, and he sailed through the hole and crashed onto the concrete deck of the repair station.

Workers exploded from the shop, some running to check on Ben, others rushing to the train to see if anyone else was aboard. As Enzan and Meiru were helped out of the train, they caught onto the air of urgency from the train deck; Ben still hadn't moved, and the staff were expecting the worst. The two net saviours pushed their way through the crowd, and as they reached their friend Meiru put a hand to her mouth in shock. Ben was sprawled on the concrete, blood seeping from several shallow cuts on his face and arms; worst of all were his eyes, those icy blue orbs stared through everyone present, fixed on some far distant point that no one but he could see.

"Ben?" Enzan's voice was choked with apprehension.

"Ben?" Meiru reached forward, tentatively brushing strands of red hair from his face, eyes wet with tears.

As Meiru pulled her hand away, the American's eyes flickered to her, and he blinked slowly. "You . . . should have seen the . . . look on your face . . ." He chuckled weakly, and she threw her arms around his neck.

"You scared the hell out of me you big jerk!"

"Scared the hell out of me." Ben, with Meiru's help, slowly sat up, and a wave passed through the crowd; Enzan exhaled a long sigh of relief.

"Here comes the rest of them." Ben turned his head, catching sight of a service truck pulling up, its wheels designed to ride the train rails. As it screeched to a halt, Netto jumped out of the back.

Meiru's eyes brightened as she saw the familiar orange vest and blue bandanna, "Netto!" She rose and ran toward him, leaping into his arms as they embraced. "I'm so glad you're ok."

"I'm ok too," Dekao said, but everyone ignored him.

Watching the group from afar, Ben and Enzan both felt a slight pang of envy. "Forever watchful, forever faithful, forever forbidden to participate." Ben nodded in agreement.

"Enzan, help me up," the black and white haired boy helped the American to his feet, "is Meiru still busy with Netto and the others?"

Enzan looked at Ben curiously, "yeah . . . what's wrong?" His eyes hardened in concern.

The American laughed, but it was forced, "I'm in a bad way. Help me get out of here, I need to get home."

"You need to get to a hospital!"

"Just help me out of here before Meiru notices." Enzan put Ben's arm over his shoulder, and the two began their slow escape. They had traveled a few steps when Ben's legs gave out and he reeled backwards, falling several feet from the maintenance deck to the tracks below. He could feel his body going into shock, his limbs refusing to work; the prosthetics read his nerve impulses, simulating the functionality of actual limbs, but in his current state they could only twitch unresponsively.

"Ben!" Enzan's shout was muffled, as if he American was underwater, and slowly he turned his head to see his friend leap off the platform. He looked towards the group, seeing several officials witness his fall and start to run his way. Time was slowing down, the color seeming to bleach out of the world around him. He strained his eyes, focusing on Meiru, who was busy chatting with the others.

_Don't look_. Ben's lips moved, but no sound came out.

As if she heard him, Meiru's face changed, and slowly she began to turn.

_Don't look, everything is fine. Everything is fine._ He prayed, lips moving soundlessly, and slowly she turned, her gaze settling on his crumpled form.

_No, don't look. Everything is fine._ Darkness started to devour his sight, forming a black ring around Meiru's face as realization crossed her features. Ben tried to turn away, but nothing worked. The pink haired girl started to run toward him, mouthing words he could not hear; slowly, blissful oblivion consumed his sight, and the world disappeared into nothingness.


	9. The Unholiest of Alliances

_**Chapter 9**_

The bustling net café annoyed Enker; the people wandering about, talking about pointless things, navis brushing against him as they passed. One even spilled some of his drink on Enker, the black liquid leaving discolored flecks on the immaculately polished gold armor. He'd risen up and grabbed the navi by the throat, and had contemplated squeezing his head off until his date got up and left. The, he'd wanted to squeeze her head off; how dare she blow him off like that, the legendary Enker, finest work ever designed by World Three's leader, a scientist of unparalleled skill. That's where he was now, following her, intent on inflicting a degree of harm upon her the likes of which she couldn't imagine.

Whistling softly, the navi maintained her purposeful walk toward her owner, and away from that pompous jerk at the café. The barista had spilled a little coffee on his shoulder, and Enker had nearly torn him apart in front of five net police officers. That guy, cute or not, was a disaster waiting to happen, and the less she kept company with that sort the better off she would be. She turned to cut through an alleyway, finding it sealed off for server maintenance, meaning she'd have to cut through Yum Square to get back. Sighing in irritation, she turned and plowed into what she thought was Enker.

But it wasn't exactly Enker; she looked down, finding the point of his golden lance embedded deep into her chest, below the icon. The pain washed through her and she collapsed with a grunt, driving the point deeper. With a snide chuckle Enker lifted the lance, and the girl, and pinned her to the wall. "Think you can just walk out on me, bitch," the golden navi sneered in an English accent, "let me show you what I do to a woman who doesn't know her place." He formed his buster, placing the barrel against his lance, and fired several shots into the golden rod.

The mirror lance absorbed the shots, as it should, and channeled the energy through its length; the bulk of the blast was dispersed through the wall it was imbedded in, but a portion of heat and vibration conducted into the impaled navi, and she screamed as she felt her insides cook. "Somebody help me," she screamed, tears running down her face as she flailed in pain.

Enker laughed, "Scream all you want luv, there ain't a navi here who could do a thing to save you."

"Hello Enker," the cultured voice sent a cold shiver down the golden navi's spine, and as he turned he found Dante Menjari standing behind him. The golden navi leapt away from him, buster leveled at the handsome man. Dante chuckled, brushing errant strands of green hair from his face as he turned to face the impaled navi.

"Please help me mister, he's going to kill me." She reached imploringly at him, her face wracked in pain.

His face full of concern, Dante gently pulled the lance and the navi from the wall, extracting the spear from her body. He cradled her against his chest with one arm, still holding the lance in the other. "Shush, beautiful one, all is well." Enker's eyes widened as he watched the girl's wound heal, and Dante helped her to stand; his hand traced her cheek, and at his touch her eyes rolled back in her head and she shuddered almost convulsively as her lids closed. Seconds later they opened, and her once green eyes were now a dull red. She stared at Dante adoringly, her face alive with longing for him, but her eyes alien and cold. "Do you love me, little navi?"

"Yes." Enker shuddered at how cold her voice sounded, as if she were a puppet.

"You would do anything for me, to gain my approval, yes?"

"Command me, sweet God, and I will obey"

Dante smiled, his compassionate face beaming, while his violet eyes shone cold and deadly. "Kill yourself."

The girl snatched Enker's lance from Dante's outstretched hand, and without taking her eyes from his she drove it into her emblem, the point exploding through her back as quickly as if it had been fired into her. As she stood there, data unraveling as she died, she never once cried out or looked away from his perfect face. With a static clattering, the golden lance fell to the ground, striking the concrete. Dante picked up the lance and extended it to Enker.

The golden navi gave Dante the finger, "to hell with that you bloody wanker; I ain't touchin nothing that's been in yer bloody hands!"

Dante chuckled musically, "relax Enker; if I wanted to kill you I would have done so in Regal's PET. I don't see a victim in you, I see an ally." Enker said nothing, but his eyes glimmered with interest. "You hate humans, and I enjoy killing them; together we can plunge the flesh world into ruins, and reign as kings over the entire net."

"How do I know I can trust you," Enker eyed the killer cautiously. In response, Dante lifted the lance and placed the point against the center of his chest, centered on his navi icon, an eye shedding a single bloody tear. For a second, Enker contemplated ramming the lance through his chest, but the promise of power stayed his hand.

"Partners then, mate, what's the plan?"

Dante smiled, teeth glittering, "tell me about Regal's research, and the being called Duo."

---

_Murmurs. Evil laughter. Roll was being squeezed to death in a great stony hand, while she watched swordys cut into Gutsman and Glyde like cake, serving their pieces to Forte. The cloaked navi sat on a throne crafted from the corpses of Blues and Medi, his feet resting on iceman's corpse as if it were a furry blue ottoman. Smiling viciously Forte accepted and began to eat the pieces of the other two navis, when he suddenly grabbed his stomach and screamed. In a fountain of gore, a gray claw burst from his flesh, and another, and in a grotesque parody of birth Boushi climbed from Forte's corpse. The blood soaked navi picked up Forte's emblem, then walked to Blues and did the same. Holding both emblems in his claws, Boushi walked over and stood over Rockman's mangled form._

_"Saito." Boushi had eyes; a red one that looked down on Rockman with infinite rage and jealousy, and a blue one that wept tears of sorrow that trickled down the navi's cheek and onto Saito's chest. Boushi reached down, prying the emblem from Rockman's bloody torso, and before the blue navis eyes he drove each emblem into his body. The red navi glowed brightly, and in the white haze Rockman could see his body start to change._

_"Through three, I will find immortality . . ."_

Screaming, Rockman sat up, pain arcing through his chest like hot lightning. A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and the blue navi turned to see Blues gripping his shoulder. "You're safe now."

"Rock, please, you need to rest." Roll's voice was hedged with concern, "you're pretty messed up." Rockman slowly lay back down, wincing as painful spasms wracked his body. "You passed out after the battle with Forte," the pink navi smiled, wiping unshed tears from her eyes, "you gave us a good scare."

"Good to see you're awake Rockman." The blue navi turned his head to see the speaker, a tall navi he'd never seen before. His body had hard angles in its shape, as if it had been assembled by welding sheets of rusted steel together. His chest was composed of a set of iron doors, and his yellow eyes glimmered out from beneath a helmet that looked like a shield had been wrapped around the back of his head. "I am Gateman, and I have come at the behest of my operator, Meijin Iguchi."

Roll stood up, bracing a hand against Gateman's chest, and to the newcomer's surprise he found himself being forced out of the room. "Oh no, you go back to SciLabs and tell Meijin-sama that Rock's in no condition to perform any net saviour missions, so he'll just have to send someone else."

"He has sent someone else," Gateman attempted to push back, but discovered he could find no purchase strong enough to resist Roll's efforts, "in fact, he's sent _EVERYONE_ else. If I could just . . . would you please . . . could I maybe . . . dammit woman let me GO!"

"Roll, let him speak," the pink navi froze as Rock's quiet voice rose from behind her, "I'm sure Meijin-sama knows what happened with Forte, and if he sent someone regardless it has to be important."

A hand still on Gateman's chest, Roll turned to face the blue navi, "but Rock . . ."

His green eyes implored her, "Please Roll." With a reluctant sigh, Roll released the visitor, and Gateman walked over to Rockman's side.

"A man named Dante Menjari was executed a few nights ago," Gateman sat down in the chair beside the bed where Rockman lay. "He was a psychopath, a murderer, who took the lives of several net saviours in Sharo, Electopia, and Netopia." Gateman drew out a data file, handing it Rockman, "a navi who looks _EXACTLY_ like him has been seen in several hotspots throughout Internet City during the last twenty-four hours. He's been in the company of a navi called Enker, a remnant from World Three. Earlier today we lost contact with a net saviour who'd been spying on Enker, and shortly after we received reports of the Menjari navi we discovered evidence that out spy self terminated."

"She killed herself?" Rockman's eyes widened slightly at the thought.

Gateman nodded solemnly, "near as we can figure, it was to prevent any information she had from getting into Enker's hands. Whatever part Menjari had to play in the event, we can only speculate."

"What's the relevance between the Menjari navi and the actual killer? How do we know that he isn't just visibly similar?"

"Reinhold DeMarquis, the judge who presided over Menjari's execution, died in a house fire last night. His videophone short circuited, filling the house with flames in a matter of seconds. In life, Menjari's _modus operandi _was to kill people by corrupting navis and programs to initiate hardware meltdowns."

"Like World Three's first attempts at Net terrorism." Roll sat on the edge of Rock's bed, quietly enjoying the closeness of the blue navi.

"Indeed," Gateman nodded, "it's believed that Menjari was a pupil of Wily, with the mad doctor using an assumed name, although we can't find any evidence to substantiate it."

"What does Meijin-san want, exactly?" Iceman's small voice piped in, and as Gateman turned he saw the other navis gathered close, eager for their assignment. Despite their youth, each navi and its operator were eager to maintain the peace, something Gateman respected greatly.

"To take Enker, and the Menjari navi, into custody for questioning; peacefully, if at all possible."

"Tell Meijin-san we'll get started right away," Rockman slowly climbed out of bed, leaning on Roll for support, "I've got a few former World Three contacts we might get some information from."

---

"Tell me again, why are we here?" Enker's voice echoed in the murk.

"I told you why, I can sense something here," he stopped, eyes closed as if listening to something.

"Right; something akin to Duo, but if you can sense him then why are we going towards him? He's supposed to be this ultimate good guy, and if he is, then wouldn't he just flatten us under his thumb or some such?" The fog parted suddenly, and they found themselves at the mouth of a hole in cyberspace, descending into darkness. There was a hum, and a light appeared, expanding until the pair found themselves facing a giant. "Bollocks."

"Tainted ones, why have you come to my domain. Do you wish for a quick death to alleviate your misery?" The giant's voice boomed in the vast area, raising his arms toward the sky. Each one easily large enough to squeeze a man to death, the huge fists looked like death to Enker.

"Sod off," Enker made a crude gesture at the giant, "I'm getting out of here before this knob starts swinging!"

"Relax Enker," Dante grabbed the golden navi's arm, "don't be so hasty, can't you feel it?" Chuckling, the murderer stepped toward the giant, "he has no actual power here; he's just a shell."

"A shell, eh?" Enker grinned, walking towards the giant, "then I'm gonna crack this egg and see what runs out."

Enker took two steps toward Duo, and a green blur hit him faster than he could dodge; the force of the attack lifted him off his feet, knocking him through the air and past Dante, where he hit with a crash, skidding several more feet. He looked up, staring at shock at the green armored navi that stood where he had been, a cyber sword drawn. She assumed a combat stance, "come toward me if you must, but know you must defeat me to reach Duo, and I have never been defeated."

"And you must be Slur," Dante chuckled as he walked forward, "you're where the power I sensed is coming from. "You see Enker, this isn't really Duo or Slur; this . . . beautiful creature is a defense program to protect the area, and he," Dante gestured at the giant, "is a transmitter. She detects the level of evil in the world, and the program here transmits the data to the real Duo, millions of miles away."

"But I serve a secondary purpose," Slur fixed her icy gaze on Dante, "in the event a tainted program comes here, I dispatch them; and you, Dante Menjari, are the most tainted soul I have ever encountered."

Slur swung the cyber sword at Dante, a flawless headshot, but inches from his neck Dante grasped her wrist and immobilized the blade. A look of shock passed over her face before she created another sword and attacked with her other hand, which Dante parried by forcing her other sword into interception. As he had done with the girl navi from earlier, he reached out and caressed her cheek, and Slur shuddered intensely as her eyes rolled back in her head. She closed her eyes, and when they opened she stared at Dante, her irises red and vacant.

"Spot on," Enker laughed, "make the bitch kill herself, that'd be sweet!"

"That's your problem Enker, you have no vision." Dante traced a finger down Slur's cheek, neck, and chest, fingering her emblem. "In order to bring about Armageddon, we're going to need soldiers, acolytes to lead them, and four horsemen to spread our message. And she is the answer; Slur, it would seem, can detect people like us, dark souls yearning for chaos. She will help us build our army; she will be our second horseman."

Dante stabbed Slur in the chest, his fingers sinking into her emblem as if they were a blade, and a change began. The girl navi's eyes widened as a look of ecstasy passed over her face, and she grabbed Dante for support as her body began to ripple; green armor melted away, exposing naked skin, then plates of dark blue armor. Her brown hair lengthened, braiding itself as the sable hue shifted to a bloody red. As the last of the changes completed itself, the woman who stepped back from Dante was no longer Duo's enforcer.

She was beautiful, swathed in blue armor, painted to resemble flames creeping along every curve of her feminine form. Black gauntlets and greaves glinted dully in the light, and as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled, Dante felt his own lips curve in approval. "Kneel before me," and as she did Enker whistled a cat call, making the murderer chuckle amusedly. "I christen you Jezebel, my second horseman."

"I will obey my lord," she said in a husky voice, her dull red eyes glinting fiercely.

"As your first action, I command you to destroy that which holds you in bondage. Until the transceiver is destroyed, you cannot leave this place." Dante bowed his head sadly, and a surge of fury shot through Jezebel. She turned, screaming in rage, and leapt at Duo. Her hands began to glow, and each one erupted into blistering flame.

"No!" Duo threw an arm up to shield himself, but Jezebel's hand cut through it as if it were paper. She landed before him, driving her flaming hands into his chest, and began to savagely tear him apart, until nothing of the mighty giant remained.

"You are free, my beloved Jezebel, now return to me so that we may depart this wretched place." Dante threw his arms up joyously, and Jezebel raced to his embrace, pressing her mouth to his passionately. The three turned and left the graveyard, confident that no one was aware of their plans.

Silently, a mettool watched them leave the crater, its eyes glinting red in the light.


	10. Misanthropy Justified

_**Chapter 10**_

Exhausted, Enzan flopped back into his chair and resumed his silent vigil; since arriving at the hospital with Ben nearly ten hours ago he had quietly waited for his friend to regain consciousness, but the American never did. Doctors had come and gone several times, each taking some vital scrap of data: a few vials of blood, temperature, charts from the electroencephalogram, more blood, charts from the electrocardiogram, retinal response tests, still more blood. At Ben's earlier request, Enzan had made certain to prevent Meiru, or anyone else, from entering the room. If his friend ever awakened, he'd have to ask why.

Without a sound, another doctor walked in, lifting Ben's medical chart to his face. Enzan chuckled bitterly, "If you've come for blood, I don't think he has any left, they've been here three times already."

"You misunderstand, my name is Marichiko Henza, and I will be Mr. Bradt's attending physician."

"Excellent," Enzan rose and approached him, "I have some questions for you then, about his physical state."

Before he could get closer, the doctor raised a hand, and Enzan felt a nurse lay a hand on his shoulder. "I understand you're concerned about your friend, but he's safe in my hands, although I must ask you to depart so that you won't be in the way."

"In . . . the way?!" Enzan felt rage stirring inside him, but as he tried to approach the doctor, the nurse tightened his grip and proceeded to drag the net saviour out of Ben's room.

"If you have any information about your little friend's prior medical treatment, fill out the appropriate forms at the desk, otherwise you can come visit him in three days, after my preliminary tests are completed." The doctor pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, dismissing Enzan with a wave. IPC's CEO left the hospital under his own power, but not before smashing a vase, kicking over a table, swearing profusely at the doctor and the nurse, breaking the arm of the man who escorted him out, and instructing his chauffer to stay at the hospital and ensure that no one but the hospital's staff was allowed to see Ben; it was the least he could do for his friend.

---

In the secluded corner of the Undernet they had chosen to set up base in, Dante stared out across the net, eyes vacant. Inside the building behind him he was dimly aware of Jezebel as she kept Enker entertained, at Dante's direction of course. As stupid and short sighted as the golden navi was, he was undeniably powerful, which made him useful. He could be rewritten much the same as Slur, but as the only one with access to battle chips and an operator, and any changes would be easily discovered and the plans damaged. For the moment, it was wiser to indulge his shallow whims, until such a time as his usefulness was exhausted.

A noise behind him told Dante that Enker was done with the girl, and he turned to face the gleeful golden navi. "You really broke the mold with that one, mate; she sure is a hot little number. And those hands . . ." Enker shivered in pleasant memory.

Dante clucked his tongue disdainfully, "anyway, if you're done with her, please tell her I have need of her abilities." Enker nodded and excused himself, and moments later Jezebel approached the green haired navi. "You have sensed the souls of so many navis; in your experience, before serving me, did you ever encounter navis with an . . . innate disposition similar to your own?"

Jezebel nodded, "there are a number of navis who might join our cause; navis who formerly served organizations such as World Three or Gospel. I imagine that there are even a few neutral navis you might be able to entice. You do have certain . . . ways about you." The girl batted her lashes at him, and for a second Dante considered the unspoken proposal; she was beautiful, and in life he'd enjoyed the company of women. But his life wasn't about enjoyment, it was about revenge.

"Create a list of navis, both with and without operators, who are worth approaching. Include not only prior or potential offenders, but neutrals who've deliberately avoided any sort of formal role in previous conflicts." Hiding her disappointment, Jezebel bowed her head and slinked back into the building.

As the beautiful red head reentered their base, Enker considered taking another go at her, but his helmet radio crackled to life. "Enker . . . _ENKER_ this is Regal, respond."

The gold navi sneered, "Don't get yer knickers in a twist junior, I'm here."

The scientist ignored Enker's jibe, "the virus is loose, he detonated my PET and fled to the web. We need to reconnoiter and come up with a plan to track him."

"Breathe easy doc, I'm with him right now."

The same mixture of excitement and fear flooded Regal's vision, and for a second he could not speak. "Has . . . has he attempted to infect you?"

"Naw gov, he's an alright bloke." Enker's chuckling voice set the scientist at ease, "even made a sweet little bird for me to play with. And trust me gov, she _IS_ sweet."

"So, he's petitioned to be our ally?"

"Correct, Doctor Regal," Dante's voice came across the transmission, the sweet baritone having the same effect as before as it snaked around Regal's neck, "I'm terribly sorry for any injury you might have sustained in my previous escape. I was confused and still adjusting to this magnificent body you've designed for me."

"It's alright Dante," Viktor smiled at his computer, "I've replaced the PET already. Why don't you three come to my computer, and we can discuss things. Like revenge," a tinge of hatred trickled into Viktor's voice, and Dante smiled at the unspoken opportunity."

"We would be delighted."

---

Walking home in the rain, fuming, the sudden alert from his PET nearly made Enzan jump out of his skin. "Enzan, it's an email, from Boushi."

The waterlogged boy mopped his soggy hair back from his face as he retrieved the device. "Bradt's navi? Read it to me."

"Mr. Ijuin, I have chosen to contact you as I have not been able to get any response from my operator for nearly twelve hours now. Is Ben alright, please respond. Boushi."

"Send a reply: Ben is in the hospital and has not regained consciousness, doctor's say they will observe him and expect him to awaken in three days time. I am skeptical. Enzan."

After sending the reply, Enzan dashed into the door arch of Higureya, staving off the rain while he waited for a reply. He didn't have to wait long. "Humans never cease to amaze me with their grandiose misconceptions of their own omnipotence. Please come to Mr. Bradt's home residence; the attached link is a map, and you will find all the doors unlocked. I will meet you inside. Boushi."

It took forty-five minutes to reach his friend's house, and as he entered the main hall through the unlocked door he was made audibly aware of the amount of water that pooled around his feet with every step. "Welcome Mr. Ijuin, I've been expecting you." An inhuman voice rang out in the unlit stillness, and as Enzan's eyes began to adjust, a door down the hall clicked open, and a soft red light spilled out. "Please come down to the study; you can dry off at the fire while we sort out this unpleasantness."

Down the hall and through the doors, Enzan found himself in a comfortable, fire lit library. Book shelves stretched up to the cathedral ceilings, painting the walls in a century's worth of knowledge. The fireplace roiled like a living being, and the waves of heat soaked into the boy's bones, finally beginning to eradicate the chill. A computer screen stationed atop a mahogany desk winked on, and Enzan found himself staring at Bradt's featureless red navi. "It's nice to finally meet you Boushi."

"You as well Mr. Ijuin, though I wish it was under better circumstances." The navi crossed his inhuman hands behind his back, "if you would please explain to me, in detail, the events leading up to my operator's hospitalization."

Enzan explained in detail the fight with Forte, the race through the cars, Ben's treacherous climb along the train's top, their attempts to disable the engine, Ben's decision to extract the primary conduit, and his subsequent ejection and collapse. "I'm not sure what happened exactly, but he almost seemed to slow down and just . . . stop."

Boushi nodded, "it sounds very simple to me. Adrenaline, like all stimulants, causes the body's metabolism to burn through nutrients and medications so quickly that they only actually have a third of their actual efficiency. The adrenaline in his system caused his internal stores of Dopamine to deplete sixty-six percent faster than normal, and once the stores were expended his brain could no longer function."

"What is Dopamine?"

"Dopamine is an experimental drug based off a synthetic cerebral enzyme, naturally produced in the body to stimulate synaptic response; as a side-effect of his accident, Ben's brain doesn't naturally release Dopamine, so he has to take regular shots of it in order to keep his mind active. Without it, his non-autonomous systems begin to shut down, and he enters a coma-like state."

"How does someone's brain just stop producing a natural chemical like that?"

"Extremely prolonged periods of erratic cerebral activity," the red navi began to pace, "say a hallucinogen was in your system and forcing you to perceive terrible things on a constant basis. This prolonged input would make it impossible for you to sleep, and eventually, after weeks and weeks of being unable to get a rest from the stimuli your brain would have produced so much of the chemical that the gland that secretes it would give out due to overuse."

"So, he has a prescription for Dopamine? How do I give it to him?"

"He has several prescriptions, located on the window sill in the kitchen, over the sink. The Dopamine comes in pre-measured hypodermic syringes of sixty milligrams each, to be administered into the vein in the crook of the elbow. Although," Boushi scratched his chin, "considering the preexisting degree of depletion, I would suggest injecting the Dopamine directly into the jugular, ensuring immediate cerebral contact and rapid results. Do you know how to administer an injection?"

Enzan nodded, "I have an uncle who's diabetic; he taught my cousins and I how to administer his insulin boosters in the event he ever went into hypoglycemic shock."

"Then take all of the medications to him, and administer the Dopamine shot. He has not taken any of the other medicines since eleven PM yesterday, and without his immuno-suppressants his body will attempt to destroy the organic implants and transplants he's received in the course of his life; after twelve hours his body will begin attacking the implants, at twenty-four hours the nerve interfaces will begin to reject the grafts. His artificial organs will cease functioning correctly at thirty-six hours, and his life functions will cease at forty-eight. It is eight o'clock now, which means you have three hours in which to administer his medicine, before his body begins to reject the nerve grafts. Once it reaches that point, the chain reaction of system failures is all but irreversible."

"Don't worry Boushi; I'll bring him home safe, I promise." The two shared a mutual nod before Enzan went to the kitchen, collecting the assortment of medicines Ben kept in the window sill; before reentering the rain, he stopped to grab an umbrella from the hall closet.

---

Concealed by a fichus and a rolling rack of nurse's uniforms, Meiru cautiously spied on Ben's hospital room, and the suited gentleman who stood between her and her ailing American friend. Enzan had been turning her away all day, and when she saw him leave she thought it'd be her chance to slip in, but the ever cautious VP had left his chauffer to stand guard. For the past hour, Meiru had watched him put away cup after cup of the hospital's bitter coffee; finally, after finishing what must have been his twentieth cup, the older man ambled off in search of a rest room. Grinning to herself, Meiru dashed across the hall and into Ben's room, totally unprepared for what she would see.

The American was unconscious, lying atop an examination table with only enough clothing to conceal his modesty. His body was a map of scars, bone white ridges that told the story of a pain unimaginable. Had they been simultaneous injuries, one would assume he could not have survived, so Meiru told herself that he must have undergone numerous surgeries throughout his short life. She could see now the metal appendages, glinting in the harsh light, tracing back to his body and an ugly nest of scars where the metal touched his flesh. Around him surged several doctors and nurses, swathed in white masks, and as she had gone unnoticed they made no attempts to censor their voices.

"God, what a freak, I don't know whether or not to call an electrician."

"Check out the cybernetics, I've never seen anything so advanced."

"Look at these x-rays, he has artificial implants."

"Figure out how to take those limbs off, we'll need to submit them for study."

"Why not? It isn't like he's using them." A chorus of laughter rippled through the room, "and someone contact Oshidura Medical Center. I want life support machines up here by morning; I want to be able to send some of these artificial organs in with the limbs."

"That's disgusting!" Meiru didn't realize she had said it until the physicians turned to face her, "He's a human being, and you're talking about parting him out as if he were a car! You're a bunch of monsters!"

"Remove her," the lead doctor pointed at Meiru, and two nurses grabbed her arms and started dragging her out of the exam room.

"Let me go, let me go!" Meiru struggled against the two orderlies, but they were much stronger than the girl, and her thrashing attempts were futile. As they walked into the hallway a flash of blue caught Meiru's eye, and one of the orderlies released her as a length of metal slashed across his face. Enzan shouted wordlessly as he charged, wielding the umbrella like a sword, and rammed the other orderly in the gut. The bigger man fell backwards, and Enzan dragged Meiru into Ben's room. Once inside, Enzan gave Meiru the umbrella in favor of an IV stand, and the pair drove the doctors out of the room.

While Enzan barred the door, Meiru ran over and began trying to wake up the American. "Ben, Ben wake up, we need to go!" She shook him a few times, and then shouted at Enzan. "I think they've got him drugged, he's not responding."

"He's in a coma," the other net saviour came over to Meiru's side, pulling several medicines from his coat pockets, "his navi said he needs these or he'll die. If we give him one of these shots, he should wake up."

As Enzan prepared to give Ben the shot, a crash alerted him, and he turned to see the doors coming open. The larger orderlies from before were using a gurney as a battering ram, and the first blow had all but destroyed Enzan's barricade. He set the needle down and ran across the room, bracing himself against the doors. He looked back to shout instructions to Meiru, but found the girl already administering the shot into Ben's jugular, then running over to Enzan's side. She tore the power cord out of a nearby floor lamp, and as the orderlies rammed the gurney through the gap of the door she touched the bare wires to the metal frame of the battering ram, eliciting howls from the attacks as the electric shock made them jump back.

Enzan stared at her, eyes wide with surprise. The pink-haired net saviour chuckled, "what? In the years I've had Dekao chasing me, you don't think I would've come up with at least a few non-lethal deterrents?"

The boy smiled at her, "that's twice today you've impressed me Sakur-, I mean, Meiru."

The pink-haired girl smiled broadly, glancing over as she heard Ben stir, "let's see if we can make it three."

---

"Hit them again," Doctor Marichiko snarled at the orderlies, "I can't believe you allowed two children to stall us for this long. Who knows what might happen to the specimen?" As the orderlies prepared to ram the doors again they opened, and on the other side stood Meiru and Enzan, each flanking the imposing form of Benjamin Bradt. Seeing his patient awake and angry, the doctor rushed forward, placing a hand on the American's shoulder in faux concern. "Mr. Bradt, you shouldn't be up yet, let me escort you back to your bed for some rest."

Glaring pitilessly at the doctor, Ben jabbed with his right fist, slamming the prosthetic into the doctor's crotch. Even with the glove on the leather served little to cushion the impact, and Henza collapsed into a heap, retching into his lap. "That's for stabbing me under my fingernails with a pin to prove to the others I was unresponsive before cutting me up for sale, you son of a bitch." The angry American took two steps toward one of the nurses, who bolted into a run; had he stuck around, he would have seen Ben tip backwards, stopped from hitting the ground only by the quick intervention of his friends, who each caught an arm.

"Enzan," Ben said weakly, "please don't leave me here; I'm afraid I'll wake up as nothing but a head."

"Don't worry my friend; I'll take you straight home."

Ben sighed, "thank you Enzan, Meiru." He went limp, and the pair escorted him out to Enzan's limo.

---

When Ben next awoke, he was in his own bed, still dressed in the backless hospital gown. He dressed slowly, body aching, and slowly stumbled toward the kitchen. Upon entering the tiled room, a cup of coffee was thrust into his hands, and as he groggily nodded his thanks Meiru's kind voice greeted him. Blinking slowly, he squinted, only to find that Meiru really was standing in front of him, and that his robe really wasn't tied. "Sweet Jesus!" The American spun around, nearly throwing his coffee onto the counter as he rushed to tie his robe closed.

Meiru giggled, "You were covered, relax." Ben checked himself, sighing in relief at the sight of blue satin shorts. "We stayed the night to make sure you woke up in the morning, but that alone made this entire sleepover worth the wait."

"Good morning Ben," Enzan smiled slightly as he entered the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar, where a second cup of coffee sat. Like Meiru, he too showed the signs of dishevelment akin to a night on a couch. "I did some research last night; apparently, the vast assortment of medicines you take aren't listed on the FDA's approval list. Hell, they're not even listed in the medical registry. So I'm asking, again, for your explanation."

"Come on Enzan," Meiru glowered, "don't be so rude, he just woke up."

Ben shook his head, "I owe both of you my life, for last night and the day before; you've each saved my life at least once in the past seventy-two hours. I owe you at least an explanation, but I expect to owe you an explanation, and breakfast."

Enzan nodded, and Meiru giggled as Ben set about the kitchen, pulling various implements and ingredients from the cupboards. "Wow, nobody's ever cooked breakfast for me before."

"Then you are a deprived child," Ben said teasingly as he began to crack eggs onto the griddle, "and it's my pleasure to be the first."


	11. Partial Exposition

_**Chapter 11**_

Humming quietly to himself, Ben set two plates down before Enzan and Meiru, the yellow pouches steaming furiously in the house's air-conditioned environment. "I don't know if they serve omelets in Electopia, but you haven't lived until you've tried one."

Meiru cut a piece with her fork, blowing across it before popping it into her mouth. A smile spread across her lips, "my goodness, this is a breakfast in itself."

Enzan tentatively prodded his omelet, "is it safe?"

"Don't be such a baby!" Meiru chided Enzan playfully, blowing on another piece, "these are excellent Ben."

Mesmerized by her lips, Ben didn't immediately realize she was talking to him, until she reached across and jabbed his arm with her fork. "What? I apologize; I guess I spaced out, what did you say?"

"I said the omelets are delicious."

"Oh," Ben smiled shyly, "thanks. It's the only thing any of the men in my family could cook, so we had to make sure we were very good at it."

Enzan took another bite, "very good indeed. Now, you keep dancing around the issue of your personal exposition."

"I guess I have a hard time bringing it up." Ben sheepishly scratched his head, and for a moment Meiru's thoughts wandered to Netto. She hadn't seen him since the subway incident; she hoped he was ok, but had to assume that if he were in trouble he would have called. Absently, she probed her PET's phone calls and email records, looking for any missed communications from the energetic net saviour. "I don't think you've ever been pitied Enzan; it's the most horrible thing ever, to have people look at you as if you were a crippled puppy, as if you were just too stupid or useless to exist by your own means."

"Well relax," Enzan continued to devour the omelet with ever increasing vigor, "neither of us is going to pity you. Heh; play your cards right, and some of us might not even listen." Sensing the jibe, Meiru blushed furiously as she returned to the world around her. "So come on, quit stalling."

"Alright," Ben sighed quietly and sat down across from his visitors, "just bear with me, it's not something I think about often."

---

"I wasn't born this way, I was pretty normal once; I had a mother and a father, a pet ferret, and like most eight year old Americans I had a passion for baseball. I won't bore you with the details, but I was happy, most kids are." Ben chuckled bitterly, his eyes glazed over, seeing something beyond the simple kitchen before him.

"Bullies are part of everyday life; there is always someone who's bigger than you, who thinks he's entitled to other people's belongings, more so than their owners. A bully took my life away from me, because I had something he wanted, money. I stayed home 'sick' that day; I wasn't really sick, but my dad was coming home from business in Sharo, and I wanted to see him before he left on the next business trip. He said he didn't have anything scheduled, and was going to take me to a Major League Game that weekend, but every time he would come home that stupid phone would tear him away again. It's a wonder my mother got him alone long enough to conceive a child, but I digress."

"We went to the bank to deposit some checks and get a little cash; mom knew I wasn't really sick, but she couldn't blame me for wanting to stay home and see dad, so we'd planned on making a special dinner for him. I remember she told me to sit and wait for her, so she gave me a hug . . ." Ben paused, putting a hand over his eyes as if to hide from his friends. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and as the smell of roses enveloped him, he realized that Meiru had come to comfort him. "So she gave me a hug, and I went to play my Gameboy while I waited."

_I didn't have to wait long; the next thing I knew there was this boom, and people were screaming. _Get down on the floor_ the gunman shouted, waving a shotgun around wildly. _Get down on the ground or I'll shoot your freaking heads off! _The people complied, and the horrified screaming dimmed down to sullen whimpering. I wasn't sure what was going on, but my mom wouldn't let me go; she just kept holding me tightly and saying everything was going to be ok. She had tears in her eyes . . . I think that's when I started to think something was wrong._

You're all very fortunate today, ladies and gentlemen_ the robber taunted,_ you're all going to bear witness to the beginning of global cleansing. The money I collect today will fund the work of God himself!_ The people were terrified of him, trying their hardest to look away as he paced the floor, an USAS-12 aimed at the tightly clustered patrons. He stopped in front of one of the tellers, resting the barrel of the shotgun on the counter as he addressed the teller. _

Hello . . . Sherri _he squinted as he read her nametag, _do you have a boyfriend? _The girl was terrified, so she could only nod her head. _And are you intimate with your boyfriend? _Again with the silent nod, her pretty brown eyes saucer big and filled with tears. _Let's see what you have back there; a package of antacids, saltine crackers, and a book of baby names. Sounds like someone's pregnant, how far along are you?

Five months _she stammered quietly, wringing her hands fervoredly. She looked like his attention made her nervous, and with one of the biggest shotguns ever made staring you down, who wouldn't be?_

But you're not married, are you Sherri? _His voice adopted a scolding tone, and she bowed her head shamefully. _Which means that this, unfortunate, child would be a bastard; un-loveable by all on this Earth. Only God has the greatness of heart to love a child so wronged by his parents. So to God I will send you, baby, so that you shall be born to caring parents after the sin has been cleansed from this world. _The crowd screamed in horrific anticipation, but their cries could not drown out the deafening roar as the shotgun tore the poor girl in half. _

_A security guard took the opportunity to bolt for the doors, willing to leave everyone else to die as long as he could get away, but the robber turned and cut him down. The guard's eyes widened as the shot hit him, and he literally exploded across the hostages; I remember my mom almost screamed as the red rain saturated us both, but she held it in, trying to be strong for me. I was dimly aware of sirens outside, and a grin spread across the robber's face as he saw the police pull up outside. _Now, my little lambs, bear witness to the start of my crusade.

Dante Menjari! _A voice boomed over a megaphone, _let those people go, you don't want to do this!

You don't know how wrong you are _he said with a chuckle as he flipped the security switch, activating the carbide steel gates that shielded every door and window in the bank. In a matter of seconds, we were closed in, trapped with a murderer and a loaded gun. We were there for hours; someone outside spent the whole time barking demands at the lunatic. They wanted him to give up, or to release hostages, or to tell them what he wanted; which he did, but was always met with a 'we refuse to negotiate with you until you give us incentive,' or 'release some of the hostages as a sign of trust.'_

_Finally, after an eternity of waiting, he finally sighed reluctantly. _I don't want to play anymore _he shouted over the bank's PA system. He flipped the switch, and with a loud clatter the gates slid up. He dropped his duffel bag and gun, walked over by the window, and raised his hands. The police swarmed the building, and in a matter of seconds the fourteen hour stand-off was resolved. A pair of officers escorted the handcuffed killer to a waiting car, while the remainder of the force set about checking on people, collecting statements, and cordoning off the bodies of the slain teller and guard._

_Just as the emotional state of the room was beginning to return to normal, a voice that could only have been Dante Menjari's boomed over one of the police loudspeakers. _Congratulations New York police officers, and thank you for furthering my noble cause. _He saluted them then, and in his hand I could see a small black object. _And now, by the power vested in me by God himself, his only son Jesus Christ, and the Ameroupean Frontline Defense Corps, I absolve you of your sins.

_He clicked the button on his detonator, and the security gates slammed down, cutting in half anyone foolish enough to try and give through as they closed. There was a beep, and a hum, and his duffel bag began to make strange noises as it opened, revealing the device inside; an Ultra-low Frequency Decimator, an experimental bomb, designed by the government, to release waves of low frequency sound that would cause immense destruction. Ground tests had shown consecutive results: termination radius of one-hundred yards, audible distance of three miles, and liquidation of living matter radius fifty feet. Everyone within fifty feet was going to be reduced to mush by the sonic emissions, and the floor plan square footage of the bank? Eighty-five feet._

_Pandemonium once more; I was torn from my mother as someone tripped over her, joining the others who ran for the front gate, trying in vain to tear it down. I tried to get up, but some fat bastard stomped down on my back as he ran by, then another. I thought I was going to be stomped to death, but one of the cops grabbed me by the collar and lifted me up. He shouted at the people, trying to lead them into the reinforced vault, but few stopped to listen. I was screaming to; half from the pain of my shattered limbs, and half in horror as my mother still searched the crowd for me._

_By the time she saw me, the cop was dragging me into the vault, along with a few of the bank staff. She ran towards me, and I tried my hardest to make them hold the door open, going to far as to interpose my arm and leg in the door frame as I grabbed the outside lip, refusing to move._

_My mother was probably fifteen feet away when the bomb went off; I never heard it explode. The force travels faster than the sound, so the termination wave hit first. My mother dissolved, like sand, fragmenting away as she kept running. I don't think she ever really knew she was dead. Then the wave hit us; or it would have, but it hit the door first. The fifty ton steel door slammed shut, cleanly crushing my arm and leg off as it closed, sparing us the worst of it. We wouldn't be liquefied like my mother, or the other people there, but the blast wave did rip the safe from its foundation. It rolled down the street like a massive bowling ball, crushing cars and smashing in building facades as it went. I don't know where it stopped; I passed out from shock almost instantly._

_I woke up a week later in Mercy's Wings Hospital, my father asleep at my bedside. I found out later I'd been clinically dead for four minutes, from blood loss; they had only attempted the resuscitation at my father's demand, and at best they had expected I awaken a total vegetable. I seemed well, and decided to take a walk to clear my head. I hopped out of bed, slamming into the cold time floor. Tubes entering my flesh were pulled out, and alarms began to sound as I passed out. I was told I immediately entered convulsions, and was in a coma for two weeks. _

_When I woke up, my father was awake, as was the doctor present. What he told me shocked me; burst kidneys, two collapsed heart ventricles, severed left leg, severed right arm, ruptured lung, possible brain damage. I was lucky toe be alive, even though I would spend the rest of my life strapped to an assortment of life-preserving machines. I would never walk, nor play, nor go to school, nor have a normal life. . . _

As Ben returned to reality, the room had taken on a somber tone; Meiru sat, staring at her feet, idly stabbing at the remaining half of her meal. Enzan cleared his throat, "so I take it your father pulled the cybernetic appendage line from the expo, so he could instead divert company funds into it and get you mobile."

"As well as finish designs on multiple organ-replacing implants that his company had been tossing around. He embezzled a few billion dollars worth of Equinox' money to push the projects through was all for me. The flight where Arashi's bomb went off was my father flying to DC to appear before the Supreme Court to explain why he'd taken all that money."

The ringing of Enzan's net phone startled them all, making Meiru chuckle nervously. "This is Enzan, yes, yes, of course Meijin-san." He disconnected the communication, "I have to go to Sci-Labs and make a report about the subway incident, and they might want a comment from you, Ben."

"You can't expect him to just up and go before the panel now!" Meiru growled at Enzan, considering what's he's been through, he needs rest, at least a week's worth."

Enzan nodded, "agreed, then if they want to speak with you I'll tell them to wait awhile for you to fully recuperate."

The pink haired net saviour grabbed her own backpack, "I should go to. My mother will be furious about my not coming home yesterday. How about I come by tomorrow, and we go do something?"

"Sure," Ben replied, less than enthusiastically. If she noticed she made no indication, and the net saviours left Ben to the quiet of his home. He stared at their half-eaten omelets, his half finished story in his mind. They knew about the accident, about his injuries and implants, but not about how the surgery had set off the latent brain damage; how every moment of his life was colored with pain, because his brain couldn't function without activating the pain-detecting neurons, and how the unrestrained cerebral activity had made him a genius, and burned out the parts of his brain that created the chemicals it needed to function. Without regular boosters of synthetic dopamine, he would remain a vegetable, and with the dopamine he would die. Even now, he could feel the chemical dissolving the neural pathways of his brain.

He screamed wordlessly and slammed his metal fist through the wooden table, splitting the oak surface apart and throwing the plates to the floor, each piece of china splintering into a million unrecognizable shards. He swore in irritation, grumbling to himself as he knelt down and collected the debris into his dustpan. As he rose, he glanced out the window, seeing Meiru entering Netto Hikari's house, not her own.

Who could blame her, Netto was an incredibly likeable guy with two legs, two arms, and a working organic structure. It was unrealistic to think his love for the pink haired angel could ever be welcomed and returned. Besides, he would be dead in ten days, according to the American doctor's conjecture; anything he did now would just be a waste of her time.

---

Ten days is all he had to complete the plans he had laid out before himself; ten days before his master died, and then he would never be able to truly thank Ben for the gift of life. No matter what he had to do, he must be done in ten days, for his master would not see eleven. Blues scoured the mainframe cautiously, red-rimmed eyes shielded behind his impermeable visor, as he proceeded into IPC's digital data storage.

Inside Blues' head, Boushi used the net saviour's knowledge of the company network to quickly map out a path to the R&D computers. Bound in red tethers of light, Blues looked on angrily "I trusted you, and this is how you repay me Boushi? You could have just asked for my help!"

Boushi chuckled, a harsh inhuman sound, "we both know that what I am doing will create difficulties for Enzan's company, and you are just as devoted to your operator as I am to mine. Situations reversed, I would never help you; and truth be told, you would do the same."

The armored navi chuckled, "I am sorry it's come to this Boushi."

"So am I, you're one of the only friends I've ever had." The red navi grabbed the data he was seeking, and hurried for the exit. "I'll eject myself on the feed stream outside; that way you're beyond any connection to the theft, and you cannot possibly follow me."

"The next we meet, we will be enemies."

"I know Blues," Boushi's face flickered with errors as another emotion escaped him, "so please, say goodbye to Enzan for me." With a flash, the red navi was gone, and Blues had regained control of his body again.


	12. Tunnel Vision

_**Chapter 11**_

"I really appreciate the help Ben," Shuuko said as she set the cola next to him, beads of condensation trickling down the outside of the cylinder.

"S'fine," he replied tonelessly.

The conversation went on as such for the next hour with the purple-haired girl trying her best to spark conversation, receiving answers in the form of monosyllabic grunts or muted gestures. Finally, the disassociated company began to wear on her, and the smile she'd maintained started to slip. "You know, I don't want you to be here because you feel obligated. If you'd rather just go, I won't hold it against you. Not many people like to be a round me anyway."

The sadness in her voice struck him, and for the first time he looked away from her PC and met her gaze. The girl had obviously mustered a lot of courage when she'd asked for his help, and he'd rewarded her boldness by being a complete emotional shut in; he'd been rude, terse, and emotionally non-existent for the past hour while she'd made countless efforts to be pleasant company. This whole business with Meiru sucked, but it was no reason to be hostile to the rest of the world.

Feeling like an ass, Ben turned away from the bright blue display. "Shuuko, I'm sorry I've been so rude to you." The sudden change in her guest made her jerk up in surprise, and when he laid a gloved hand over hers she blushed fiercely. "It's been a stressful week for me, and I have no right to take it out on you, especially when you've been nothing but angelic. I'm terribly sorry for my coarseness, and I hope you'll forgive me for being such an ass."

Stunned, she stared at him for a few seconds before realizing he was waiting for answer, "Of . . . of course I do." She smiled happily, "I know how it is to be stressed, and I've taken it out on my brothers a few times when they didn't deserve it."

"I'd like to take you to dinner, after I'm done here." The proposal stunned her, "I feel like a huge jerk for being such monstrous company, and I'd like to thank you for being so kind to me. I'm not very good at making friends."

"I'd love to," she murmured quietly, still in shock. "Uhh . . . where are we going, because I don't really own anything that would be considered remotely formal . . ."

"Dress comfortably," Ben chuckled as he turned back to the screen, "and to Hell with anyone who might disapprove." He took a sip from the icy can, wiping the ring of moisture off the desk top and placing a napkin down to serve as a coaster. Shuuko scurried off to change her clothes, slightly giddy; she'd never been on a date before.

---

The Undernet bustled with activity; easily as large as Internet city and home to all the net's more unsavory navis, it was a dark army waiting to be mobilized. It just didn't know it yet. Dante watched the criminal crowd surge around his triumvirate, a bemused smile on his lips, "Jezebel dear, where do you see the best spot for my soapbox?"

"Where that woman's statue sits, my lord," the red head gestured with a red nailed hand toward a statue of Serenade, ruler of the Undernet. Its location is the exact center of the Undernet City."

The green haired navi turned his gaze slightly, "what do you know about this . . . Serenade, Enker? Is she someone who might be . . . persuaded?"

The golden navi shook his head, "unlikely, gov. Serenade's kind of like Jesus to the Undernet, not even Forte's big enough t'throw down with her. She's the most powerful entity in these parts; trying to do what you did with Slur'd be suicide."

"Very well then," Dante started toward the statue, "level it. That should get their attention." Enker held his hand out, and with a wordless roar Jezebel slammed a flaming fist into the golden navi. The force channeled into Enker, who swung his lance at the statue. Their combined force burst out of the weapon's tip, and the statue fragmented in an explosion that would be heard for miles. The pyrotechnic display had its desired effect, and every navi in the Undernet came to see what had caused the commotion.

Dante walked into the circle, assuming stance atop the broken pedestal of the statue. "Greetings, brothers and sisters, I have come to offer you the world!" He thrust his hands toward the sky, "you all hide in darkness, scurrying from the light like cockroaches, afraid the foot of humanity will crash down and end your pathetic existences. Little do they know that we are greater than they are; we are more powerful, we are smarter! We are likened unto Gods in their presences, and it is time we remind them of their place!"

"What a load of crap," one of the crowd grumbled quietly, catching the attention of Jezebel. As the navi turned to leave, she was on him in a second, and a quick swing of her fist lifted the offender from the ground, sending him crashing to Dante's feet. The navi winced as Dante reached out to him, but rather than strike him, the green-haired navi helped him to his feet.

"You doubt my power?" Dante smiled kindly, but his eyes glimmered with a hard edge.

The purple navi sneered at Dante, "I doubt your sanity." A shiver of laughter ran through the crowd, and was silenced as Jezebel growled at the navis around her.

Dante merely chuckled, "I appreciate your honesty. What is your name?"

"Bomber," he gestured toward an empty kiosk nearby, "I sell battle chips."

"Tell me Bomber, why do you think I am unable to provide you with the power to dominate the human world?"

"Considering they made us, made our entire world, and control the technology we'd need to be in their world, I'd say that trying to conquer them would be like trying to drown a fish."

"So you doubt my power then?" Dante smiled fiercely, "why didn't you say so? Let me show you, show you all, that I have the power to usurp humanity's control over us."

"What are you doing?" Bomber squeaked nervously as he tried to pull his hand away, finding it still in Dante's iron grip. Bands of purple data began to bulge and course up the merchant's arm, like serpents, and the purple navi began to scream in pain. "It hurts, it hurts! Get it out of me!" He clawed at his own limb, and as the intruding code began to burrow into his chest Dante released him. The screaming navi began to claw at himself, tearing pieces of corrupted data from his own body. "Get it out of me! Somebody help me, it's eating me alive!" He screamed as he tore himself apart, blue armor regenerating wherever he tore at his digital flesh. Great plates of heavy sapphire armor began to burst from him, blood spurting out in geysers as his body began to tear itself apart, until he finally collapsed into deathly silence.

"Arise, Grenade Man," Dante extended a hand to the crumpled navi, and as he rose the crowd gawked at his new form. Once a slender navi, the blue plated figure was easily twice as wide as anyone present, with great silver fists and eyes that gleamed with the hunger for combat. Dante leveled a palm, and a swordy virus rose from the ground, slashing its energy blades across Grenade Man's chest and arms. The cuts it left on him were barely scratches, and throughout the attacks the blue navi never winced.

"Show these non-believers your power," Dante commanded, and in a flash the navi had grabbed the swordy by the head. He hurled it skyward, bringing his other mammoth fist up as it shifted into a wide mouthed blaster. A roar issued forth as a column of explosive force burst skyward, obliterating the virus instantly. The weapon's blast continued upward, slamming into the sky itself; great cracks and tears in the data stream spread outward, and for a few seconds the sky over Undernet City appeared to be a great black mouth, before it slowly repaired itself.

"Bear witness, my brothers," Grenade Man shouted as he presented himself to the observing crowd. "I was once as you, but now I am stronger than Serenade herself. He offers us power, and I say take it, so that we may rise up and destroy any who would stand in our way!"

The crowd burst into excited cheers, and Jezebel turned her adoring gaze onto Dante, who welcomed the masses into his arms. He was truly magnificent, and had the Undernet in his hands. Enker smiled quietly, pleased in his wise alliance, and through the PET link, Regal too observed the celebrations with delight. Soon too, would his designs on revenge be realized.

From the rooftops she watched her people, taken in so easily by the promises of the virus-made-man. His power was great, perhaps as great as her own, although his lunacy made it ultimately wasted. Serenade sighed quietly as she sensed the coming war; many would die because of this madman, undoubtedly at the hands of the blue anomaly. Sad for the coming loss of the navis, who were like children to her, she turned her back on the scene.

---

"Meijin, sir, my spies have detected the presence of the Menjari virus in the Undernet commons." The stern voice that came over the PET jerked the scientist away from his manga novel, "he apparently hacked another navi and changed him, and his power level has increased by a factor of four."

Cold sweat trickled down Meijin's neck, "nothing good can come of this. Go find Rockman; I'll contact Netto and the rest of the net saviours." As Meijin opened his email, a new message popped up with a spine chilling subject line. 'New Types of Dark Chips Traced to Warehouse in Dentown.' "Disregard that Gateman. You keep an eye on Menjari; I have to send the net saviours to deal with this warehouse issue."

"I'm sorry?" Gateman said incredulously, "did you just say we're putting the Menjari virus on hold?"

"We have to handle this dark chip issue, we don't know what could happen if Menjari gains access to them."

"This is a dangerous game you're playing, Meijin."

"We are all judged between this life and the next, and I have made many difficult decisions in my life; in time, all of my actions will be judged, but not by you."

---

Sighing in exhaustion, Boushi plugged the final string of data into the file. "Run install_, target file, . Execute."

A prompt window appeared before the red navi, scrolling code segments and compiling data.

** FILE INSTALLED**

**LINKING TO PATCH**

**REINITIALIZING WITH PATCH**

Boushi felt his program flicker as the code adjustments were made, his gaze never leaving the status screen, until it blipped out unexpectedly. Confused, the red navi attempted to recall the status screen, but the system refused to respond to his demands. Enraged, Boushi slashed his claw through a nearby data stream, scrambling the flow temporarily. "Dammit, this can't all be for nothing, it cannot be! Computer, run event_."

Another prompt screen appeared.

** PATCH SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED**

**ERROR LINKING TO FORTE_**

**ERROR LINKING TO BLUES_**

**FILE ROCK_ NOT FOUND**

Screaming in frustration, Boushi walked away from the screen and toward the firewall, its flickering lights playing across his featureless surface. His operator would die in nine days, and long before then Blues would come calling for blood. He'd come too far to fail. "The secret must lie in the Rock_Prog file, but where did the other two come from? Argh, questions from questions, but never answers!" Furious, Boushi plunged through the firewall and into the Net.

---

"Netto, wake up." Rockman shouted at his operator, stirring the net saviour from his sleep, "I have an urgent message from Meijin-san."

"Mmm . . . smmffrrrr . . . mmMeiru . . . .mmsmmf." Rockman, irritated, maxed out the PET's volume.

"NETTO, WAKE UP!!!!!!"

The volume had the desired effect, and the brown-haired boy leapt out of bed in surprise, crashing to the floor, "Rockman, what the hell?"

"I just got an 'All Net Saviour' emergency bulletin."

"Read it to me."

"Attention all net saviours; new kinds of dark chips have been traced to a processing machine in a warehouse on Ninth Street and Okatsu Drive. Out of concern of the Menjari virus, all Net Ops are requested to go to the site immediately.

Netto hurriedly dressed himself, grabbing his PET, "ok, let's rock." The pair dashed out into the night.


	13. Baiting the Trap

_**Chapter 13**_

Chuckling darkly to himself Enker glanced over his shoulder at the navis behind him; Dante had managed to garner quite the army in a short time, and now they waited for the net saviours to arrive, secreted away in the warehouse security system. Soon the NetOps would come, and with the secret awaiting them, never leave.

Something brushed his foot, and as Enker looked down he found a mettaur virus at his boots, staring up at him quizzically. The golden navi smiled kindly at the virus, but as a navi beside him snorted he resumed his confrontational sneer. "Look at that worthless virus," the black navi said; forming his buster, "I'll take care of it sir."

As he charged up the shot, Enker snarled and rammed his lance through the black navis chest, deleting him in an instant. The navis around him gawked in surprise; even the mettaur seemed shocked, its red rimmed eyes staring at him in a mockery of comprehension. Enker reached down and gently lifted the virus as if it were a child, brushing away a scar on its helmet. "We're here to destroy the net saviours, not viruses. Any attacks could give us away, and I'll make the bloke who ruins my trap wish for deletion long before it arrives. Savvy?" The others grumbled muttered replies and dispersed throughout the system.

Jezebel approached Enker, eyeing the virus curiously, "interesting. You can kill man and woman alike, but you coddle the mettaurs like children. It's not the first I've noticed it."

"I ain't so diff'rent from the mets, luv," Enker said softly, petting the virus like a cat. "Most of my code was met inspired, s'why I can reflect attacks. I guess their kinda like kids t'me."

Touched, and wanting to hide it, Jezebel snorted with cruel laughter, "oh that is priceless, a soft spot for the meager. What a mighty villain."

She achieved the desired response; Enker had no idea of her true feelings as he spun, smashing her across the face with an open palm. "Listen up you bitch, I don't give a ratton's arse 'ow big ya are to Dante, I'll split ya in half if ya ever get high'n mighty with me. Savvy?"

"Savvy," she said coldly, a hand pressed against her aching cheek. Enker set the mettaur down and stormed off, Jezebel close behind.

---

The small room was alive with the curious murmurs of the net saviour congregation, a mixture of casual conversations and the rejuvenations of old friendships. Enzan watched the congregation quietly, the scowl on his face serving to turn away anyone foolish enough to attempt conversation, save Meiru. The pink-haired girl had shared a few phrases with him as she awaited Netto's arrival, excusing herself to join the bandanna wearing hero.

Across the room from Netto and Meiru, the cool eyes of Sharo's prize net op watched the pair silently; Raika scowled at their ludicrous inability to be honest about their feelings. "I can't believe that they still cannot be honest with each other about their feelings," he scoffed at his PET, "Searchman, can you believe they still haven't told each other how they feel?"

"Frankly yes," the camouflage navi shook his head, orange hair swaying.

"Pathetic," the Sharo native scowled, "I would never condone such spinelessness."

Searchman snorted, and his operator scowled, "what are you going on about?"

"Raika?" The cultured voice was dove soft as it touched his ears, and the color drained from his face as he recognized the speaker. Princess Pride, ruler of both the beautiful landscapes of Yumland and the heart of a certain Sharo net saviour, placed herself beside the nearly swooning net op. "It is you Raika, how have you been?" Dressed in the fashion of Electopia, no one who didn't know her personally would have recognized the royalty, but Raika knew her by smell alone. She smelled like clean linen and wild flowers, and everything about her made Raika certain she was the epitome of happiness in a man's life.

"I've been well Prin-, I mean Pride," he corrected himself, "it's nice to see you again. Do you know what this is about?"

"Not in the least," she smiled kindly and shook her head. Her tresses flowed around her like molten gold, and as her blue eyes glimmered in the light it was all he could do to not pounce on her. "I had to leave so quickly I didn't even have time to disconnect Knightman from the Yumland Security Net."

"So, what did you do for a navi?"

---

In a burst of green, Searchman appeared in Pride's PET, "Knightman!" The area was still, and as he scanned it he could find no trace of the armored navi. "Knightman?" The absence of his ally disturbed him, and he cautiously shifted the shape of his arm into the long-barreled sniper rifle he favored.

Soundlessly, the black clad navi slipped up behind him, a massive sword in hand. As the blade descended, Searchman noticed the glimmer of movement reflected in his visor, and threw himself out of the way at the last second. He tucked and rolled a few feet out, leveling his gun at the assailant.

"Raika, sir, I'm under attack! There's a virus in Pride's PET."

"My lady, there is a virus in the PET with me." The pair stopped and looked at each other, confused. "You're not a virus?"

"Hardly," Searchman scoffed as he rose from his crouch, the rifle resuming its normal form. "I came to greet my ally, but I see he is not here." He put a hand up to his helmet receiver, "false alarm sir; it was Pride's substitute navi jumping to conclusions."

The black clad navi's face twisted into an angry scowl, her porcelain skin darkening into a fierce red. "Me, overreacting? Apparently, you Sharo navis haven't the faintest concept of civility! What intelligent man barges into a PET without any sort of introduction?"

"Apparently you're not very traveled in social circles yourself, because when navis are friends they don't typically need to make appointments to see their friends!"

The navis glared angrily at each other, preparing to attack, until the collective voice of Raika and Pride boomed over the PET's microphone; "Alright, both of you, that's enough." Searchman exploded into a whirl of green pixels, and Pride glared at the black clad navi through a screen that appeared. "Morgana, what is the meaning of this?"

"He just appeared out of nowhere," she threw her arms up animatedly as she spoke, "and he was waving this _HUGE_ gun around, why wouldn't I think he was an attacker?!"

"I went over there, looking for Knightman, and this girl with an impossibly huge sword tries to cut my freaking head off!" In Raika's PET, Searchman was equally animated, "what about that manner of reception should I infer a genuine greeting from? Hmm?"

Both the NetOps sighed in exasperation, simultaneously turning their PET volumes to mute as a figure in a white lab coat ascended the makeshift podium. His short brown hair, normally spiky, drooped with exhaustion. His sunglasses glimmered in the light, but those closest to the stage could see the barest hints of dark circles under his eyes. Stifling a yawn, he nodded to the congregation. "Hello and thank you all for coming."

"Good morning Meijin-san" the collective audience droned sleepily.

"_San wa iranai!_" The scientist snapped through the microphone, causing a few of the Net Saviours to jump in surprise. He passed a hand over his eyes as if in pain, "sorry about that folks, everyone at SciLabs is a little high strung right now, which is why you're all here." He clicked a button on a remote, and the lights clicked off as a picture was projected onto the blank wall beside him. "This," he said, indicating the green haired navi," is a virus that's causing a lot of concern. It is a visual representation of the executed killer, Dante Menjari, and right now it's a major threat all across the net. This virus, the Menjari virus as we've come to call it, is capable of assimilating navis if it can touch them. At this moment, it's recruiting navis from the Undernet."

Disturbed murmurs coursed throughout the room, silenced as one of the NetOps raised a hand, "how are we supposed to fight sometink dat can hack our navis?"

"Good question Validoz," Meijin nodded to the Russervian Net Poliska, "we're developing a program patch to resist hacking attempts. Until it is finished, it is imperative that any NetOp who is assigned to follow Menjari ensure he is not seen, and especially not touched."

"Unfortunately," another scientist said as he walked up to Meijin's side, "the Menjari virus is not our biggest problem." The sleepy figure of Yuuichiro Hikari, Netto's father, stepped into the light. "We've also received reports of a massive dark chip repository being discovered in Downtown DenTech City, and if Menjari gains access to dark chips or dimensional field technology, there's no telling what kind of damage he could inflict." Animated murmurs lit up the gathered operators, and the room's atmosphere quickly drew tight with fear.

"What we're going to do is have all NetOps disperse into the net in search of Menjari," Meijin said as he clicked his controller, a blown-up photo of an empty office building coming into view, "while our cross-fusers go downtown to assess the condition of the warehouse."

"If you find the Menjari virus, do not attempt to apprehend him," Yuuichiro stressed, "rather contact SciLabs and we'll have the rest of the operators sent to your location. We've never faced a threat like this before, and if we're not careful we could lose a lot of lives, both human and navi."

"Alright boys and girls, our team leaders are Black Rose, Miyumiyu, Commander Beef, Validoz Glaborof, and Manabe-kun. Team leaders, create groups of six, and keep in constant contact. Let's do this by the book people!" The crowd of NetOps dispersed quickly, and the cross fusers were left alone as they gathered their things.

"Netto!" Doctor Hikari shouted to his son as he approached, and the brown haired net saviour rushed to his father. "I was wondering, how has Rockman been operating lately? Any glitches or remnant signs of his 'Bug Style' cropping up?"

"No dad," both NetOp and navi answered simultaneously.

The scientist smiled, "good. Now about the other boy, the one who helped you on the subway train, Mr. Bradt. Do you have a phone number he might be reached at? Considering how useful he was before, I thought he and his navi might be good allies to have about now."

"Su-" Netto started, but was interrupted.

"Boushi, Bradt's navi, isn't combat equipped, so I doubt he'd be useful here!" Rockman cut his operator off hurriedly, and for a long moment Yuuichiro looked at his digitized offspring.

"Alright son, I trust your judgment."


	14. Success in Spite of Failure

_**Chapter 14**_

"Enker, this is Lothogos," a deep voice crackled across the golden navi's helmet radio.

Enker placed a hand against his earpiece, "go ahead."

"Net saviours spotted. They're in the back alley, looks like one of them is about to jack into the door lock and hack access. Should I set up a welcoming party?"

"Negative, clear everyone back from the lock system, we want 'em to get to th' heart before we attack."

"Understood." The broad gray navi turned to face the soldiers Dante had given him. "We're to pull out and permit them entry. Everyone fall back to my operator's adjacent domain, we'll file in after they pass through, and set up to ensure they don't get out." The army of navis jacked out, and seconds after they left a familiar blue navi appeared. He scoured the mainframe, eyes keenly seeking any sign of an ambush.

"I don't see anything. No viruses, no darkloids, no programs." Rockman's voice carried into the alley from the blue PET's speakers, echoing off the dingy brickwork.

Netto looked toward his friends, "could Meijin-san be mistaken?"

Enzan shook his head, "unlikely. I say we go in and check it out. Worse case scenario, it is a false lead, and we join the other saviours in the hunt for Menjari."

"I agree," Meiru chimed in, "if we don't check it out, we risk giving Menjari access to dark chips, and we all know how powerful they are in the wrong hands."

"Then it's agreed, we go in, give it a thorough check, and we get out." Raika plugged his PET into the lock, "Searchman, open the door."

"Yes sir," the camo-clad navi appeared in a flash and had the lock disabled in seconds, permitting the team of net saviours to enter.

"Alright, form teams of two," Enzan turned to face the others. "Pride and Raika, Netto and Sara, Meiru, you're with me."

"Why's Meiru with you all of a sudden?" Netto shouted defensively, "since when have you been so cool with her?"

"Chill out Hikari," Enzan's glare sent ice through the net saviour's veins, "Sara is new to cross fusion, and considering you're the veteran I figured she could learn best from you."

Netto was shocked by Enzan's compliment. "Enzan . . . I, I'm s-"

The boy turned his back toward the speaker, "let's go." Without waiting for a reply he ran inside the building, the others following closely. Netto, feeling foolish, followed glumly behind.

Sara looked at her partner, "I don't want to come between you and your girlfriend or anything. I don't want to be a burden."

Netto blushed, "she's not my girlfriend," he said too quickly. "Besides, Enzan's right, I was the first to cross fuse, so it is probably best that you stick with me. I just need to learn to not overreact so much."

"Netto," Rockman called out from the PET, "the navis will stick to the building network, that way if a dimensional area crops up, we'll be on hand."

Sara lifted her white PET from its holster, "Angel, go with them, lend whatever assistance you can."

"Yes, Mistress Sara." The white-winged navi bowed to her operator, then vanished into a swirl of white pixels.

---

The group of navis sped through the security server, scanning every shadow and crevice for enemies that did not appear. Rockman and Blues took the lead, eyes ever watchful, while Searchman followed, search cannon armed and ready. Morgana and Roll cautiously took up the rear, while Angel soared overhead. As she scanned the horizon with lucent orange eyes, she witnessed a small movement; a solitary met, marching its way along the system subroutines. "I see a met up ahead, looks like it's on its way into the core system, but it's not attacking the mainframe."

Searchman dropped to one knee, "I'll get it." He brought up the cannon, zeroing in on the solitary virus. Rockman saw it was well, and the met made visual contact, its red eyes gleaming neutrally.

"Don't fire on it," Blues said as he laid a hand on Searchman's rifle, "if there are enemies ahead you'll alert them to our presence. Let's move on."

The group resumed its march; Rockman turned to Blues, mouthing the word '_Boushi,_' to which the stoic navi nodded.

"Real genius, soldier boy," Morgana scoffed, "good thing someone here has the common sense to not give away our position."

"Keep pushing me, and the next shot won't be aimed at a mettaur."

---

Boushi, in the mettaur's body, watched the net saviours walk away. Both Blues and Rockman had seen him, but stopped the green one from firing. Perhaps Blues was not as angry with him as the red navi had believed. Or perhaps, there were more important things to do. That, he could sympathize with. He hurried along, accessing the shortcut he'd learned of from the memories of the one called Lothogos. Moments earlier, he'd hacked the gray navi and used his power to slaughter the rest of the contingent guarding the security system. Not only would that ensure the net saviours reached their target unimpeded, but also they would have an easy escape if things got to dangerous for the humans.

The red-eyed mettaur easily located the shortcut, and after riding it back to the actual destination, found himself in an unusual mainframe. The sky was purple and shimmering, as was the grid. The entire server structure seemed to pulse and quake with a malignant sentience, and it took the red navi several moments to regain his sense of coordination. Ahead, he saw the one called Dante, as well as the golden navi who'd protected him earlier. There were others, many of whom bore the same alien code as the girl Dante had made, and they all were gathered before a massive Gray and Purple navi.

"Mazeman," Dante said, "have you made your preparations?"

"Yes my lord," the stone-like figure replied, "as soon as you give the order, I will scramble the cyberscape configuration, separating the net saviours from each other, thus making them ripe for the plucking. My men have also established control of the technology those so-called darkloids left behind."

"Excellent," Dante turned toward Jezebel, "tell me, my dear, who is the strongest of the intruders? Who should I most fear?"

"Rockman," the red-haired navi said quietly. "The blue navi has destroyed many villains, and has the power to destroy even you."

"Then, once Mazeman has separated them, I want you and Enker to take some of the acolytes and isolate him. Make sure he doesn't leave this place alive."

---

Passing through a warp gate, the group of navis emerged into an alien server cyberscape, with floors and a ceiling colored in an undulating shade of purple. As they walked in, cautiously looking around, they were unaware of the eyes that watched them. Roll screamed as she turned, finding herself face to chest with a purple and gray navi. She leapt back, with Morgana interposing herself between the two.

"Shifting Walls," Mazeman shouted as he slammed his hands down on the ground, and the navis scrambled for balance as the world began to tip, walls shooting out of the ground and ceiling. In mere seconds, the navis found themselves divided, and a spine-chilling laugh echoed across the battlefield. "Welcome to my maze," the navi shouted victoriously, "you are now trapped in a world where I am king, and the very walls bend to my will."

Cut off from his friends, Rockman turned to examine the walls when the flaming fist contacted his back, slamming him against the stone wall. The air was forced from his lungs, silencing the scream he mouthed as agony flushed through his soul. As he fell backward it hit him again, slamming him against the floor, and as he stared in confusion at the woman he felt himself falling, and consciousness finally escaped him as he slipped into the warp.

On the other side of the wall, Morgana and Angel looked dubiously at the stone corridor. "Is it just me, or can you just see the viruses down that path?"

Angel nodded slowly, her golden hair cascading down over her eyes. "It's a good thing we don't have to deal with them.

The black dressed navi shook her head, suddenly aware of the relative shortness of her boyishly cut black hair, "what do you mean? How else are we supposed to get back with the others?"

Angel flared her wings, their feathered tips brushing the stone walls, "I figured I'd just fly up to the top of the wall."

Morgana rolled her eyes, "oh seriously now! This is a dangerous villain, capable of successful combat without operator support. I'm sure that we're not going to find such an obvious flaw in his plan!" She returned her gaze to the American navi, finding her a great distance up, perched upon the wall's top. "I . . . I . . . I cannot . . . believe this . . ." she rested her forehead against the palm of her hand, exasperated.

"Yeah, no contingency against flying navis, go figure." Angel leaned over to the next corridor, "hey Roll, just fly up!"

The pink navi levitated to Angel's side, landing gracefully atop the stone barrier. She chuckled in amusement, "this is somehow anticlimactic. Blues, Searchman, Morgana, Rock, you all should be able to use Area Steal chips to get up here." Their respective operators complied, and in a few seconds, the navis were reunited on the stone walkway. All of them, save Rock, who had mysteriously disappeared.

Roll's subsequent search for the blue navi was cut short, as Mazeman's frenzied shouts reached them atop the wall. "Hey . . .HEY! You can't just walk on the wall's top! That's cheating!"

The navis exchanged glances; Blues gestured toward Searchman, who raised a hand. "Oh no, please, after you." Blues leapt from the wall, plummeting towards Mazeman with his sword arm poised to strike. The gray and purple navi stared in shock as the red streak raced towards him.

"Hero Sword, battle chip in!" Enzan slotted the powerful sword chip, and as the bright blade flashed into being the navi below screamed and attempted to flee. He managed to put a few yards between himself and the deadly net savior, but a lightning quick swipe from the blade cleaved him in half, and the environment quickly returned to normal.

"Rock? _ROCK_!" Roll screamed the blue navi's name, but he was nowhere to be found.

Searchman laid a hand on Roll's shoulder, and the act of compassion stunned Morgana. She'd fostered a belief that the Sharo navi was a heartless jerk, but to see such boundless sympathy in his eyes made her question it. "Try and relax Roll," the camouflaged navi said reassuringly, "we all know how strong Rock is, I'm sure he can take care of himself."

---

Deep in the heart of the building's network, the gathered navis filled the void with the din of casual conversation, which flushed to silence as Enker and Jezebel appeared before them. With a triumphant laugh, Enker tossed an unconscious blue navi to the ground. "Navis and viruses, may I present, Rockman!"

A roar went up from the crowd as each present thrilled at the opportunity to witness the demise of the Undernet's greatest threat. Unbeknownst to the crowd, a red-eyed mettaur watched the spectacle with unabashed horror; and unknown to him, an enigmatic woman watched from the distance, her amber eyes coolly observing the unfinished one who wore the virus' skin. She could see many things when she looked at someone, perhaps some might call it their destiny; she hoped that was incorrect, for all she could see was darkness, wrapped about the navi's shoulders like a mantle.


	15. If you love someone, set them free

_**Chapter 15**_

"Alright," Enzan said as the group approached a set of double doors, "beyond this point we split up into pairs, it's the only way we'll be able to cover an area of this size."

The cross fusers nodded, splitting off into their predetermined pairings. Netto grabbed the white haired boy by the shoulder, "what about Rockman? We can't just forget about him!"

"Enzan," Meiru piped up, "let me go with Netto; Rockman might be in serious need of aid when we find him, and if you're really concerned about Sara being with a cross fuser, next to Netto you're the most experienced."

Enzan dismissed her with a wave, "fine, good, whatever. Just make certain you keep your eyes out for danger; without Rockman, Netto's basically useless." Anger rising in his cheeks, Netto opened his mouth to reply, but the groups had split up and he was left alone with Meiru.

"Come on," Meiru said as she grabbed Netto's hand, "we need to get going." The pair rushed into the depths of the building, unaware of the active security cameras that watched their every movement.

Within the server, Dante watched the cross fusers as they searched the building, drawing close to the central chamber. At the building's core, all the floors and walls had been destroyed, creating a massive emptiness that reached all the floors. The green haired navi turned to the massive blue navi beside him. "Grenademan, when they reach the central chamber, activate the dimension generators. We've established that their navis are powerful, as they laid waste to Mazeman with no effort, but even if they materialize in the dimensional area they'll be too busy defending their operators to fight effectively."

Grenademan bowed formally, "I will do as you command, master."

"Do not fail me, as Mazeman did, or you will beg them for deletion, for what I will do to you will make the pain of death seem insignificant."

---

After dinner, Ben and Shuuko began their walk to the metroline station; he'd offered to pay for a cab, but she'd insisted that the walk would be good for them. Through the moonlit streets they walked in companionable silence, occasionally breaking the stillness with observational comments. As they reached the seaside walkway they stopped, and Ben leaned out toward the ocean. "You were absolutely right Shuuko, a walk was a brilliant idea."

The purple haired girl chuckled, "I like to walk down this way when I can't sleep. The ocean's so peaceful."

"It's incredibly different from the bay in San Angeles; the sight, the sound," he leaned over the railing, letting the wind blow his bangs off his face, "even the smell is different."

As they resumed their walk, a flash of light alerted them, and as they turned a great purple dome began to wrap a condemned skyscraper in a lavender honeycomb. The colors on the dome's exterior rapidly shifted shape, and as they watched, viruses began to materialize and assume guardian positions around the skyscraper. Shuuko tensed and brought her arms up in a guarded position, "Viruses? Is that a dimensional area?"

"I'd wager so," Ben stepped in front of Shuuko, eyeing the viruses carefully. "I didn't know that it was so public here in Electopia. Ameroupe just started its work on dimensional areas a few years ago, and their areas aren't so versatile. Last I knew they needed a special type of room to create dimensional areas in. There'd been talk of portable generators, but working models were years off!"

"If there's a dimensional area, I bet Netto's there." Shuuko chuckled, "wherever there's trouble, Netto's right there to fix it. I bet all the cross fusers are there, Netto, Meiru, Enzan, R-"

Ben spun on his heel, "Meiru and Enzan are in there?"

"Yeah," Shuuko shrugged, "but I'm sure they'll be fine." She turned to look at the building, "they've all been fighting these things for awhile now, so I'm sure it's nothing new." She turned back, but Ben was gone. "Ben?" She looked around, sighing heavily, "I have some kind of magic with boys." She shook her head sadly, then began her walk home, only partially aware of the police cars that whizzed by.

As the cars skidded to a halt at the dimensional area's perimeter, Chief Keifer leapt from his car and began shouting orders. "Form a security perimeter, make sure nobody comes within two-hundred feet of the building. Someone get Meijin on the phone, I want an active dialogue with the cross fusers!"

The word sent chills down Ben's spine. "_Cross fusers!_ When I left Ameroupe two years ago, cross fusion was a comic book concept, but here they actively do it?" Ben flattened himself against the alley wall as one of the officers ran past him, a cell phone clutched in one hand.

"Chief Keifer, according to SciLabs the Hikari boy and his team are in there, but they've been beyond communication for nearly thirty minutes." The police chief unleashed a wilting string of Japanese curse words that sent the messenger scurrying, and Ben slipped around the back, entering through the unlocked rear door. "Lucky . . ." he said as he took several tentative steps inside the vast room, "no . . . not lucky." Viruses began to appear, the air shimmering as they materialized, swords and hammers raised.

Forcing himself to be calm, Ben rolled up his right sleeve, exposing a set of five slots; he slipped three chips into each slot, waiting for the click, whirr, and green LED to glow. "Battlechips in, activate dimensional field adaptor." A set of green lines arced down his arm to the hand, where several panels turned, displaying black panels that glimmered darkly. "Slot one, cannons A, B, and C, activate Z cannon program advance." The air around his hand rippled as the cannon materialized over the appendage; across the room a champy glared menacingly at him, flames licking about its tightly clenched fists. Ben leveled his cannon at the virus, "are you gonna stand around all day, or are we gonna do this shit?"

---

As the cross fusers entered the main area of the building, the sight before them gave them pause; all fifteen floors of the building, from ground the penthouse, were gutted and exposed, creating a cavernous room at least one-hundred and fifty feet in height, and easily two-hundred square feet wide. As they walked in, a shudder ran through the entire expanse. Platforms began to appear, creating a multi-tiered battleground in the open area, and viruses began to materialize throughout the floors.

"Everybody back to back," Raika shouted, "Don't leave any openings for them to exploit." The cross fusers formed a tight cluster on the building's floor, when a cacophonous laugh caused them to look up. At the top of the space, staring down with a malevolent posture, stood a broad blue navi with a very large cannon.

"Welcome to your doom net saviours." The navi shouted as he leveled his gun at them, "summon your navis to defend you, but know that I am Grenademan, and none of you will leave here alive."

Enzan chuckled, "you must be new, otherwise you'd know that we do things a little differently around Electopia." Sara, Enzan, and Raika all drew their PETs, slotting in their syncro-chips. "Crossfuse!" A blinding light filled the expanse, forcing Grenademan to shield his eyes, and when it died down he found himself staring at a new threat. Three of the net saviours had fused with their navis, while the fourth was nowhere to be seen. In her place stood a moon-skinned woman in black, a massive sword clenched between her delicate hands. "Sara, attack from the top, Raika and I will move up from the bottom. Morgana, stay low and shield Pride. Battle Protocols set!"

"_Execute!_" The net saviours dashed into action; R Searchman leapt onto a platform, dropping to one knee as he brought the search cannon to bear. He laid down suppressing fire, obliterating viruses with each shot as R Blues darted between platforms, his body a blur of red navi and deadly sword. His path was marked only by the sudden explosion of any virus he slashed through; her wings beating the air furiously, R Angel quickly rose toward Grenademan, her gaze focused intently on the blue navi.

The blue navi responded by aiming his wide-mouthed cannon at the winged navi, a sun-like light building in its barrel. "Die!" With a deafening roar the shot exploded forth, sending a column of light down at her frail form.

"Halo Shield!" The angelic navi's halo expanded quickly, forming a convex lens that deflected the blast away from her, knifing the platform her attacker stood on. With a sickening lurch, the dais Grenademan stood on dissolved into pixels, and the blue navi began to fall toward the other cross fusers.

On the ground, Morgana was a deadly black streak, dashing around the room as she cleaved viruses apart with her deadly claymore. Secreted away behind a pile of rubble, Pride watched her navi fight, slotting in the appropriate sword chip as the enemies advanced. A flame-fisted champy was routed with an aqua sword, while a row of mettaurs exploded when the deadly arc of Morgana's wide sword slashed through them. Pride knew that Knightman would be proud of his new protégé; the mysterious navi had turned up at the Yumland security check a few weeks prior, half deleted and seriously corrupted, and although she'd physically recovered she could not recall what had happened to her or her operator.

Grenademan lashed out, catching a ledge and pulling himself onto it. As he reached his knees he found himself staring at a red pair of boots, and as he lifted his gaze he found R Blues, sword poised. "Coming here was a mistake, Grenademan, as you've clearly forfeited your life." R Blues slashed down with his sword, the blade skittering ineffectively along the blue navi's armor.

"A mistake for you," the blue navi swung one of his mammoth hands up, wrapping his thick fingers around the red navi's throat. With a snarl he turned, throwing R Blues at the ground as if he were a missile; R Angel witnessed his fall, swooping in and snatching the swordsman up in midair. "You have all fought valiantly, but I must end this." Grenademan held a hand out, and a blue bomb appeared in his hand. "For as powerful as you are, no one can survive the destructive force of my Doomsday Bomb!"

"Mistress," Morgana hissed, eyeing Grenademan in concern, "slot in a fire chip, hurry!" Pride wordlessly loaded a fireblade chip into her PET, and Morgana smiled as a red glow lit up the edges of her sword. "Chryssagorim, flame shot!" As she swung her red-tressed sword it glowed brightly, releasing a seething wave of flame; the ruby shot slammed into the explosive in Grenademan's outstretched hand, detonating it instantly, and the force of the explosion rammed the blue navi through the wall. Screaming furiously, he flew into the night, dissolving into pixels as his body was carried outside of the dimensional area.

---

"We have in our hands the enemy of our kind," Enker proclaimed to the assembled navis, gesturing toward the crumpled form of Rockman, "now, how shall we punish him for his good deeds?"

"Give him to me," Burnerman shouted, "I'll slow roast him and feed him to the mettaurs!" Members of the crowd cheered his suggestion, while others hissed in disapproval.

"Give him to me," Gravityman shouted, "I will slowly crush him to death." More cheers and boos, respectively.

"Stoneman will crush him with a rock! A really big one!" No cheers were issued for Stoneman's idea, but neither would anyone express their disdain out of fear for the titanic navi's wrath.

Enker swore exasperatedly at the crowd, "buggering nancies! Oh come on now, this is bloody weak! Don't any of you buggers 'ave a decent idea of wot to do to this blue pest?"

"Drain his life force!"

"Electrocute him!"

"Impale him!"

"Crush him with two really big rocks!"

"_STOP!_" The crowd went silent and parted as a red-eyed mettaur stalked through the gathering. "I will take the blue one, and you all will live to decide the fate of the others within the dimensional area."

The crowd exploded into uproarious laughter at the mettaur; even Enker himself chuckled at the absurdity. "Come on now, little met, I don't think you've got the stones t' smash this bloke."

"Stupid mettaur," a silver navi slammed his boot down, crushing the met underfoot. As the virus exploded into pixels, a red lightning bolt raced up the attacker's foot and into his emblem, causing him to screech and grasp his head. After a few seconds the navi relaxed, staring at the group with baleful red eyes, "bear witness to the ultimate fate of any who refuse me." With that the silver navi drew his sword, ramming it through his emblem; as he dissolved into pixels, the crowd gasped and stepped back at the inhuman red navi who stood where the silver one had been before.

The red navi clicked his claws menacingly, "I will kill anyone who attempts to stop me from claiming the blue one."

Enker pointed his lance at Boushi, "kill the bugger!" A navi leveled his vulcan at Boushi, but the red navi leapt into his body, and the gunner spun wildly, spraying the navis around him with gunfire. Several died in that instant, while others dove for cover. One ducked in and blasted a hole through the gunner, but as he dissolved Boushi leapt into the attacker, and the large fisted fighter turned and smashed the nearest navi's head into pulp.

"Saito, open your eyes," Boushi shouted as he leapt into Stoneman, crushing twenty navis under each titanic fist as they came crashing down. The navis turned on the massive gray fighter, and with a disgusted sneer, Enker turned his lance toward Rockman's inert form.

Seeing the golden navi prepared to kill Saito, Boushi made his decision; he leapt from Stoneman into Jezebel, and the red-haired woman's flaming fist hit Enker with enough force to hurl him into the crowd. "He's in Enker," Boushi shouted through Jezebel, "drive the bastard out!" The sea of angry navis turned on their golden leader then, wailing ineffectively on his armor, and as Jezebel leapt into the fray Boushi leapt from her body and merged with Saito.

Incredible power flooded Boushi, and the blue navi jerkily rose to his feet. He scanned the gathering with inhuman red eyes, finally rushing into the fray. His buster boomed in rapid succession, each shot causing one of the navis to explode into pixels. Enker shouted a warning, but his voice was lost in the cacophonous din as the crowd hammered on him. Within moments Boushi had cleared the crowd's perimeter, and was quickly running deeper into the server, toward net access and freedom.

Screeching angrily, Enker killed the navis around him with a swing of his lance. "You effing baw-bags, he's got Rockman and he's getting away!" The crowd began to look around, realizing the situation. "Come on, shut your gobs, we've gorra get after 'im." The golden navi stood up, Jezebel rushing to his side, "new plan; whoever gets to him, gets to kill him."

---

As the explosion from the bomb faded, a loud rumble began to build as bits of the above floors began to give away, crashing to the ground. "The building's integrity has been compromised," R Blues shouted, "we have to evacuate. Sara, grab Pride, Raika and I will follow you out of the hole that Grenademan made."

"What about Netto and Meiru?" Pride shouted as R Angel swooped down, lifting the princess skyward.

R Blues stopped in his tracks, glancing back at the entryway. "I'll go in and make sure they get out, the rest of you clear the street. I'll not have anyone in danger." The cross fusers parted ways; R Searchman, R Angel, and Pride escaping the collapsing building, while R Blues rushed into the tower's depths, intent on finding his friends.

Turning away from the flickering monitor feed, Dante passed his gaze over the strategist beside him, eyes full of rage. "Navis gain an advantage through battlechips, one far greater than was calculated. And these ones, these 'Net Saviours'," Dante spat the words out as if it left a foul taste in his mouth, "can merge with them and become even more powerful? Why wasn't I informed of this?"

The navi raised his hands defensively, "no one could have foreseen the capacity for dimensional merging. As for battlechips," the navi waved the notion away, "the advantage they present is proportionate to the skill of the operator."

"Very well then," Dante started a brisk walk as he left the server, "contact Enker, have him get Regal started on collecting operators for our army. If we must use these flesh bags, they will be the horses we ride into victory."

"There is another way, sir." Dante froze in his tracks, "there is another net saviour in the building, who gains access to battlechips through some sort of an automatic loader, built into a prosthetic limb."

The green haired navi smiled, "get Regal on it. I want this person's computers hacked, his identity found, and every shred of information regarding his technology placed at our disposal."

---

"The tremors are increasing in magnitude," R Roll said nervously, dispatching another mettaur with her antennae whip, "we need to get out of here."

"Not without Rockman," Netto insisted. As they argued, R Blues raced toward them, slashing his way through the viruses he encountered.

"Netto, Meiru, we have to go. Now."

R Roll threw her hands up in frustration, "I know, he refuses to leave without Rockman."

"He wouldn't leave me to die in a building that was collapsing."

"He wouldn't want you to throw your life away by looking for him in a collapsing building either." R Blues laid a hand on Netto's shoulder, "Rockman is strong, he'll make it out fine."

The two warriors exchanged stares for a long time, before Netto sighed reluctantly. "Alright, let's go." The trio raced down the hallway, viruses in pursuit and the very building coming down on their heads.

---

Wheezing from exertion and favoring his good leg, Ben slowly climbed the stairs to the next level. Every few seconds, a shudder rippled through the building, and he knew he needed to get the hell out of there. But not without Meiru, he had to see her out safely. He opened the door, stepping out, and a shot pinged off his prosthetic leg; he ducked back in, and a hail of vulcan fire chewed the metal fire door to pieces in an instant.

He favored a glance, catching the barest glimpse of the gunner virus before it released another hail of ammunition at him, sending shards of the concrete doorway flying as he jerked back in. As he calculated his next movement, he heard the gentle click of a door opening, and on the other end of the hallway the metal stairwell door began to swing open. He saw Meiru, Netto, and Enzan starting to enter the hallway, unaware of the deadly gunner, and from the look on their faces he knew they were going right into the gunner's line of fire. From the way Meiru tightly clenched Netto's hand, he couldn't ignore the obviousness of their feelings. Who was he to try and break their tie? He shook his head furiously; "I may have to die, but they don't. Slot five, Area Steel battlechip, activate."

Ben was a blur, whipping across the hallway as the gunner's twin cannons angrily chewed up the concrete floor behind him. He hit the steel fire door with the force of a charging bull, and as it slammed shut it threw the three cross fusers backwards onto the stairwell landing. As they rose to their feet, the room beyond echoed with a series of volcanic booms, holes appearing in the door as gunfire punched through it in quick succession, forcing them to draw back into the previous stairwell for cover. As the shots subsided, Ben's voice called out from the other side. "You can't go this way, keep to the stairwell."

"Ben?" Meiru called in surprise, running to the door. She pushed on it, but it would only budge a few inches before hitting something, refusing to move. "Ben, are you ok?"

"There's a gunner virus in here, if you open that door he'll blast you apart." Ben strained to keep his voice level, "just keep going."

"Some of us are cross fused," Enzan placed a hand on the door, "we'll give you backup, and we'll all get out together."

"_JUST GO!_" Ben's voice cracked in desperation. Enzan glanced down, noticing a trickle of red as it oozed from under the door. He grabbed the others and started down the stairs, ignoring them as they tried to go check on their friend. On the other side of the ruined door, Ben lay slumped against it, blood flowing from the numerous holes the gunner had created. With nowhere to go after hitting the door, he'd stood there, taking the hail of fire into his body. Now, as his systems began to fail, he could only bow his head and wait for death.

The gunner hummed softly, preparing to fire again. Irritated, Ben brought his arm up; "Slot five, Crush Cannon battlechip, activate." The air around his hand shimmered, and a powerful blast of energy exploded from his palm, disintegrating the virus and blasting a massive hole through the outside wall of the building. Suddenly his arm started hissing and sparking, then finally exploding as the hardware fused. As the smoke cleared, Ben looked down at the sparking stump. "Wow, I guess American technology really is shoddy," he laughed bitterly.

Sighing in exhaustion, he reached into his ruined jacket, slipping a folded picture from his inside pocket; Meiru, smiling and laughing. She'd been too busy with Netto and Dekao to notice when he snapped the picture; it had only been his second day in her class, but he had already known how strongly he felt for her. But, all things considered, it was better to have ended this way. "Atleast . . . atleast I got to save your life. That counts for something, right?" he asked the picture, not expecting an answer.

Floors above, Ben dimly registered the shuddering boom that signified the fifteenth floor's implosion. The building was coming down, but atleast she was safe. Alone in the shattered hallway, he stopped fighting his heart and let his emotions go, crushing the photograph in his fist as crystal tears flowing down his bloody cheeks in hot rivulets. An eternity passed until the wounds stopped bleeding, his heart grinding to a halt due to a lack of blood to circulate; his tears stopped soon afterward.

---

As Boushi, in Rockman's body, exited the building's server and entered Netto's PET, he felt Ben die. The sudden wave passed through him, paralyzing him in mid-step. "No, it can't be . . ."

** FILE INITIALIZING**

A wave of pain slammed into the red navi, ejecting him from Rockman. Like a marionette whose strings had been cut, the blue navi collapsed to the ground. Dazed, Boushi staggered as agony tore through his system. "No, it can't be true." He fell to his knees, his inhuman wail echoing through the cyberscape, "Noooo!"

**ACTIVATING FORTE_**

A great stroke of purple lightning exploded across his chest, slashing his emblem in two. He screamed and collapsed, the sound of his agony stirring Rockman. The blue navi looked up weakly, bearing witness to the slaughter.

**ACTIVATING BLUES_**

As Boushi kneeled, a red slash appeared down the length of his arms, data splaying out of him in a white geyser, flowing from his wounds like streamers. He rose to his feet disoriented, hugging himself piteously as he turned to face his friend. Rockman's eyes widened as he reached out for the red navi, "Boushi!"

**ACTIVATING ROCK_**

"Saito," the name became a howl of agony as a blue lightning bolt split Boushi's faceplate in half. The navi threw his claws up, grasping futilely at the sapphire slash across his face, white light streaming out as if it were blood. Rockman grimaced as he dragged himself across the ground toward his suffering friend, but the red navi could not see him. Blind and in pain, he staggered backward, one foot slipping off the side of the platform.

"Boushi!" Saito screamed as he reached out, his fingers brushing the other navi's leg as he tipped backwards, pitching over the side.

"Saito!" The red navi shrieked as he lurched off the ground, sailing into the dark oblivion below as more glowing cracks began to dissect his body. Even after the red of his form disappeared into shadow, the light was evident and growing brighter. The wail died away, and for a few precious seconds the blackness was split apart as the light of a thousand suns exploded beneath the blue navi, but just as quickly it was snuffed out. Rockman screamed into the impermeable darkness, tears streaming off his cheeks and into the pit, cast off to join the unfinished navi in the void of deletion.


	16. Crosswiring a Crossfuser

_**Chapter 16**_

"How goes the recruitment, Doctor?" Dante smiled at the scientist from the other side of the monitor, his violet eyes glittering brightly.

Regal stared into the navi's eyes for several seconds. "It's proceeding as planned. I've contacted some of my father's past allies, and they've lent their own unique skills to the cause. We've discovered the name of the boy who had the technology for adapting battlechips; his name was Benjamin Bradt, and his automatic battlechip feeder designs were located in a computer in DenTech. We're building a larger version that, once completed, will allow our central computer to upload hundreds of battlechips to any of your soldiers."

Dante smiled, clapping his hands, "well done Viktor, I'm impressed."

The scientist blushed, "now, all we need to do is secure a large supply of battlechips."

"And not just any battlechips," Enker said quietly as he joined Dante on the screen, "I'm talking rares; we need hero swords, summon dragons, mega chips and giga chips. The basics just won't cut it."

"Agreed," Dante turned to face Enker, "Take whomever you need, scour Internet City. Find me the largest supplies of rare chips you can, then report to me. Regal," he said as he faced the doctor, "hand pick ten of the finest net operators you can find. I want them brought here, and brought into submission. With the rare chips our people will be more powerful than before, and I want skilled operators to assist myself and the acolytes, just to be safe." The screen went black, and Regal scurried about his chores.

Inside the mainframe, Enker rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I've already got your navi!" Enker smiled, "He works for a local vendor who's got a collection that's been listed in magazines worldwide. He keeps them all in his shop in DenTech."

"How convenient that everyone seems to operate out of this very city," the green-haired navi chuckled, "it's almost as if the people want me to annihilate them. Bring the navi to me, we shall reward his cooperation with a place in my army."

"Any news from Keifer?" Meiru peered intently over Enzan's shoulder, "It's been nearly a week."

"No signs of the Menjari virus, or of Ben." The white-haired boy slumped in his seat, "They think it could take weeks to clear up the rubble." He turned to face Netto, who was reclined at a nearby desk. "How's Rockman?"

"He's fine, I guess." Netto sighed, "When he showed up in my PET, he was a wreck. He was crying, and beat to hell, but he won't talk to me about it."

"Roll either," the redhead hopped off the edge of Enzan's desk, "he won't talk about it with anyone apparently. But whatever happened, it's serious."

"I wish he'd get over it," Netto scowled as he rose, "there's a big net battle tournament in a week, and if we don't get any practice in, there's no way we'll win." Netto shuffled out, oblivious to the stares he got from the other two.

Meiru shook her head in shock, "he can't possibly be thinking about net battling, not after all that's happened."

"He's just trying to keep himself occupied," Enzan continued to type away. "Ben saved his life."

"Saved ALL of our lives," Meiru corrected him.

"Yes, all of us" Enzan begrudgingly admitted. "We've faced deleting evil navis and viruses, we've faced having our own navis nearly killed. But we've never actually had to stare down the death of one of our own." A noise alerted the white-haired net saviour, "Found him."

"Ben?"

"The Menjari virus. It's been spotted in Internet City, by Higureya's website." Enzan looked up in time to see Meiru donning her coat, "Where are you going?"

"To deal with this Menjari navi, virus, thing." She glared angrily at her friend, "he took one of my friends away, and I refuse to let him get away with it."

"You and Roll can't face him alone, he's too powerful." He rose and grabbed his coat, "Wait until I get the others."

"No way," she turned, "he'll disappear if we wait. You get the others," she opened the door out of the SciLabs office. "If I can't delete him, I'll at least stall him until you arrive." He opened his mouth to protest, but she was already gone.

Closed on Wednesdays, Higureya was empty and quiet, save the incessant clatter of the shops owner typing his customary one-hundred and eighty words-per-minute. He jumped when his computer screen blinked off, then on again, and Mr. Higure found himself staring at the face of his navi, Numberman. "Greetings, Otaku."

"Otaku?" Higure crooked an eyebrow, "Have you been chatting with Masa again?" He chuckled, "I don't know where he gets off calling me otaku while he pedals that cart of fish around."

"Silence!" Numberman screeched harshly through the computer speakers, startling the shop keeper. "For too long, I've served you and your mad chip lust. But now, your chip lust will further my goals, and the goals of my lord." With a loud crash, the back door of the shop was smashed in, and several large men in black swarmed into the store. They began to smash open the glass cases, shoveling chips into their bags by the handful, and as Higure rose to stop them a hand clamped down on his shoulder, forcing him to remain seated. As he turned to face his assailant, the color drained from his face.

"N-N-Numberman?" The shop keeper stared in shock at the sight of his navi, its inhuman hands clamped down on his shoulders. A shadow passed in front of Higure, and as he turned, the slim man found himself staring into the violet eyes of a murderer. "Menjari," he hissed angrily.

The virus stepped back, bowing. "And it is a pleasure to meet you as well, mister Yamitaro Higure. I must say, I'm greatly impressed by your collection of battlechips, and I promise I will put them to a good use."

Numberman's operator narrowed his eyes, "Don't you dare try and steal my chips! Help! Police! Fire! RAPE!" The slender man began to scream and flail, but Numberman was more than strong enough to keep him in the chair.

Eventually, every chip was collected, and the thieves left. Higure sat, slumped in his chair, tears streaming down his cheeks. Numberman still held him in the seat, but Dante dismissed him with a wave. "We're done here acolyte, dispense with him, and let's be off." With a nod in Higure's direction, Dante excused himself.

Numberman released his former operator's shoulder, and the man leapt up in an instant. "How dare you betray me Numberman! My beautiful chips are gone, and it's all your fault." Shrieking madly, the shopkeeper hefted his chair and swung it at the lanky navi.

Numberman caught the chair in one hand, grabbing Higure by the throat with the other, and after removing the weapon he hurled his former operator across the shop. Higure smashed through one of the empty cases and struck the wall, collapsing into a groaning heap. Numberman smiled, "Well Yami-san, it's been fun, but I have to go now." He crossed the room until he towered over the crumpled man, who stared meekly up at him, "I do want you to know something, I saved a rare timebomb3 chip for you. As a reminder." Numberman pointed toward Higure, and the giant explosive materialized between them.

**3**

"It's best this way," Numberman said quietly, "When the war comes, I'd rather not see you fall to someone's hands."

**2**

Higure tried to pull himself into a sitting position, but his limbs refused to move. Numberman sighed deeply, "If you have to die at someone's hands, it's best they be mine. After all, we are best friends, aren't we Yamitare?"

**1**

"Goodbye, old friend." Numberman turned and somberly walked out of the shop. Inside, a cold sweat trickled down Higure's face as the bomb began to glow. Dante had done something to his old friend, and he knew deep down that it wasn't Numberman's fault. "I forgive you, Numberman." Higure said quietly, bowing his head.

**0**

Behind Numberman, the shop exploded into a mass of flaming timbers that shot skyward, raining ash and cinders for blocks. He walked forward to Dante, who sat in wait, and he kneeled before his lord. "Very good Numberman," Dante laid a hand on his head, "I am proud of you, and so is Higure."

"Thank you my lord."

"Now let's go. We have a busy night ahead of us."

As the pair turned to leave, a lone net saviour stepped out of the shadows. She clutched her badge in one hand, and in the other, a bright pink PET flashed in the flickering firelight. "Freeze right there Dante Menjari." Meiru scowled angrily at them, "By the power vested in me by DenTech city's police force, and by the power vested in me as a DenTech Net Saviour, I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Benjamin Bradt, as well as numerous acts of terrorism both on and off the net."

"How cute." Dante smiled politely, "Numberman, destroy her."

"Synchro chip in, execute. Crossfuse!" As the glass-headed navi charged Meiru, a nimbus of white light eclipsed her, and as it died down he found himself impaled on R Roll's aqua sword. He gasped and drew back, collapsing to the ground as he jacked back into the net. "Give up Menjari." R Roll dashed at him, swinging her aqua sword in a deadly arc.

Dante caught Roll by the wrist. "How interesting, a human and a navi, merged into a single being." Meiru swung her free fist at him, but he caught it in his other hand, immobilizing her. Roll screamed in Meiru's ears, and as she looked at her hands, she could see a dark red discoloration slowly encroaching over her pink armor. "I'd been wondering about something my dear, perhaps you can help me?" Dante drew her in close, whispering in her ear. She thrashed wildly in his grip, and he smiled. "Excellent." R Roll opened her mouth to scream, only to have it silenced as Dante clamped his mouth over hers in a passionate kiss.

_Stupid girl, I hope she doesn't get herself killed._ Enzan raced down the back alley to Higureya, his PET batting against his side with each step. As he rounded the corner he was greeted by the smoldering remains of the chip shop; he scanned the war zone, spotting R Roll's body not far from the blaze. "Roll!" he shouted as he ran to her side, "Damn it girl, don't you be dead!" As he checked her pulse, he heard footsteps behind him, and as he looked over his shoulder he saw Dante approaching from the shadows.

"Get away from her!" He was up in a second, drawing his PET from its holster. "If you've hurt her in any way, so help me God I'll destroy you right here Menjari!"

"Hurt her?" Dante seemed offended by the comment, "I'd never hurt her. She's special."

A flash of movement alerted Enzan, and as he turned he felt R Roll's iron hard fingers lock onto his throat. He lifted his PET, but she batted it away as if it were a gnat. "Enzan, you shouldn't threaten my king like that, it's improper."

Enzan's eyes widened as he saw her; although she was wearing Meiru's clothes and had the same hair color it was still long like R Roll's. One eye was brown, but the other was a glimmering green, and her angelic face held none of its former kindness. "What . . .?" Enzan tried to speak, but he could barely breathe, her grip was impossibly powerful.

Dante walked up and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't kill him yet my love." She smiled at him, eyes shining with adoration, and he turned a victorious smile toward the net saviour. "I will let you live this time, boy, but know that next time we meet, all of your kind will be forfeit." Before their eyes, the dimensional field began to shimmer, and as it collapsed Dante disappeared. Meiru pursed her lips in a mock kiss at Enzan as she flickered, finally fading into cyberspace, letting Enzan drop to the ground with a heavy thud.


	17. A Glimmer in the Dark

_**Chapter 17**_

In the depths, something stirred, something that shouldn't be stirring. Sprawled about the ground beneath it, it groaned, then slowly rolled onto its back. "Ooh . . . wow . . . whatever I did, remind me to never do it again . . ." He sat up slowly and brushed the sea of fiery hair off his face, pressing the cool palm against his searing flesh. As he slid the soft skin along his forehead he stopped, drawing it back. It was all flesh; nothing but perfect flesh. "Wh . . .where's my prosthetic?" He looked down, staring in shock at his body; a lifetime of scars was gone, the metal and plastic that served to lengthen his life was gone. For the first time in forever, Benjamin Bradt was whole.

He giggled, staring at his hands, "I'm whole." He giggled again, feeling his lips spread across his teeth as the glee threatened to tear him apart. "It's my flesh, all of it . . ." He whooped and leapt to his feet, "I'm alive! I'm alive and I'm naked!" He paled slightly, "oh holy crap I'm naked!" He immediately thrust his hands over his exposed parts. "Oh this is hilarious," he chuckled, "I'm all flesh for the first time in years, and all I can think about is clothes. Where are my clothes?"

"You will never wear clothes again, young one." The voice sent chills down his spine; it was soft, full of compassion like a mother, but what kind of mother resides in a black hole; a hole. A flash of recognition slammed into his mind and he collapsed to his knees. Falling . . . the building was falling down. No, he was falling into a chasm, and there was light coming out of him. Or was it blood? Wasn't he bleeding all over the hallway floor? Or was it light, coming from his body, like he was melting? Which one was it? "It was both, little anomaly," the voice came from a figure in the shadows, long blond bangs waving elusively in the meager light.

As the woman emerged, the darkness revealing her as if it were a silk curtain parting at her command, Ben sucked in a breath. "Serenade . . . oh my God you're Serenade." The enigmatic navi bowed her head slightly; Ben's hand drifted to his mouth, agape in surprise, until he remembered his compromising state and hurriedly concealed himself. "Umm . . . this might be a tad confusing to you, but could you please not stare at me, this is kind of embarrassing . . ." She smiled mirthfully and turned, granting Ben the privacy he desired. "So, what's the queen of the Undernet doing in a place like this? Please forgive the choice of words; I know how much of a line that sounds like, but I can't think of a better way to state the question."

"I've been watching you," she said matter-of-factly, "or at least part of you; the red navi, who calls himself Boushi."

"Boushi's my navi." Ben chuckled, "but then again, you're a navi. So that makes me . . ." he froze. "Oh God, I'm dead aren't I . . ."

"I cannot tell you for certain what has occurred, but you are a navi, of that I am certain."

"Then why am I naked," Ben curled his hands into fists, "where's my cyber armor, if I'm a navi?" As if on cue, his skin darkened, and as he watched, a suit of gray body armor appeared where flesh had once been. "An illusion, it was all an illusion." Despondent, Ben fell to his knees, "it wasn't even my flesh . . . just another cruel lie . . ."

Serenade laid a hand on his shoulder, "be thankful you still exist. Of what I understand, you died in the human world, but your navi drew your consciousness here to live again."

"How is that even possible?"

"There is a program as old as the Net itself, with more power than anyone truly knows. It was divided into three navis; the red navi, Blues, who's operator purchased it to augment his power. The viral navi, Forte, who sustains his life by absorbing data into himself. And the blue anomaly, called Rockman, who was the grandson of the net's inventor. Once activated, the program is capable of something so great that few truly understand its potential, which is why it was divided. It was nearly rejoined and activated once," Serenade's eyes grew distant, "with disastrous results."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"When your navi asserted his will over another, he would indirectly copy parts of their program into himself, which would permit him to merge. The ultimate program would be one such kind of data, and as it cannot ever be deleted, it would remain within him. Upon assuming control of Blues, Forte, and Rockman, all three pieces would be completed within him. There must have been a fourth program within him, something that the ultimate program interacted with."

"Could it be . . . the file?" Ben scratched his chin, "Boushi said he got it from his friend Saito."

"The blue anomaly, Rockman," Serenade fixed her golden eyes on Ben, "was created when the scientist Yuuichiro Hikari's eldest son died. He was converted into a data file, , and infused into a normal navi, creating a blend of the boy and the navi."

Ben's eyes widened, "Boushi, he saved me from dying, by merging me with himself. This couldn't have been spur of the moment, it had to have been something he was planning." Ben hugged Serenade, "thank you for the information." She stiffened in surprise, then slowly returned the hug, smiling. If only the other was so open book about his heart.

"You know where to go from here, then?"

"Yes, thank you." Ben stepped back, smiling, "I've been given a second chance on life, and I intend to use it well. But first, I have to find out what all Boushi had planned for me." A ring of light appeared around Ben, "a built-in web engine, no wonder he could come and go so quickly. Engage home tether, Elysium-BradtPC." In a flash he was gone, and Serenade was left alone in the darkness, smiling, still feeling the warmth of another's contact.

* * *

"Enzan!" Netto was a blur as he raced down the hospital corridor, nearly knocking down several orderlies in his haste. He skidded to a halt as he reached his friend, panting from the exhausting pace. "I got here as soon as I heard the message, how is he?"

"He just got out of surgery a few minutes ago," the net saviour folded up his copy of the Wall Street Journal, "they say he's going to be in the ICU for awhile, but they expect him to pull through. Higure's life was saved when a section of roof collapsed over him, shielding him from the resulting flames. He broke several bones, including his skull, but no particular injury was necessarily fatal."

Netto shook his head, "I'm glad he's okay. Has anyone contacted Meiru about this yet?"

"That's," Enzan swallowed hard, "that's why I called you first. Let's go outside." Putting his arm around the other boy's shoulder, Enzan purposefully steered Netto into the hospital's outside garden, finding a secluded area in the topiary display.

"What's going on, is something wrong with Meiru?"

"When I went to Higureya, it was to back-up Meiru . . . who went there ahead of me to face Dante Menjari." Netto's eyes widened but he said nothing, "When I arrived, I found her unconscious. When I tried to awaken her, Dante revealed himself, and when I tried to cross fuse, Meiru attacked me from the back."

"What do you mean she attacked you?"

"She smacked my PET away and grabbed me by the throat, lifting me off the ground."

"That's not possible!"

"Let me finish!" Enzan angrily slammed Netto against the nearest topiary animal, stunning him. "Dante made some intonations about Meiru being on his side, and when the dimensional area vanished, they both disappeared."

"Then it couldn't have been Meiru, maybe he-" Netto was cut off when Enzan slammed him against the topiary again.

"Dammit Hikari, stop cutting me off!" Enzan steadied himself, releasing his grip on Netto's vest, "there was something weird about her. She had long red hair, and each of her eyes was a different color. I'm not sure what he's done, but I'm absolutely certain that it was Meiru. Now," he made as if to push Netto back again as he tried to interrupt, "I've already contacted SciLabs and the Net Police to be on the lookout, as well as to come up with some scenarios to try and figure out what's going on. In the meantime, I want you to hit the net and try to find her."

Netto was surprised, "you trust me to go it alone?"

"Against my better judgment," Enzan released the boy, who brushed a few leaves out of his hair. "You're one of the best net battlers I know, and you've got a better chance of finding her than anyone else. Now get the hell out of here." The boys exchanged brief glances, and Netto raced off, his roller blades clattering against the pavement as he went. Sighing in irritation, Enzan drew his PET, "Blues, any sign of activity on Bradt's PC?" There was no reply, and regardless of what Enzan tried, the screen showed only static.

* * *

Ben staggered slightly as the emerald flash subsided, blinking his eyes more from habit than need. He scanned his homepage, absorbing the devastation; someone had ransacked his computer, nearly destroying the system. Data files lay scattered about, blanketing an assortment of programs that lay sprawled across the cyberscape in various states of functionality. "What the hell?" He swore under his breath, instantly alert. He glanced down at his hand, hoping a buster would form, but to his dismay he found himself without weapon programs. A sudden explosion caught his attention, and Ben leapt behind a ruined obstruction, peering cautiously around the corner. As he scanned the scene his eyes fell upon the crumpled form of a red navi with a sword arm, long gray hair pooled around him. Towering over him was a multicolored navi with a merriment rod clutched in one hand, his mouth face split open with an ear-to-ear grin.

"How disappointing . . . I thought I'd have some fun with you first." The jester navi capered about in a cartwheel, "imagine my surprise, the legendary Blues, felled by a blow from a merriment rod. What will they say in your songs when this little nugget of joy gets out, hmm?"

Groaning, Blues stirred, lifting himself up with one arm, his sword arm hanging limply at his side. "Felled nothing . . ." He grunted and fell back down, "try it again without all those damned viruses, and we'll see who fells who . . ."

The harlequin laughed maniacally and clutched the merriment rod in both hands, the weapon lengthening into a silver staff. "Fore!" He shouted as he swung, the blow connecting with enough force to send Blues flying. The red navi cried out in pain as he flew, landing on his injured shoulder and rolling to rest a few yards from Ben.

A surge of fury welled up inside of Ben, almost sending him sprinting at the clown, but he forced the impulse down. _Boushi and Blues were friends,_ he rationalized, _that is what he would have done at that instant. I never realized how impassioned he was, more so than I._ Ben shook his head, _I've let my disabilities control my life. But with this new life, given to me by my best friend, I'll never let anything hold me back again._

Whistling merrily, the clown approached Blues' huddled form, the club a spinning blur in his hand. Ben scowled and sprinted around the back of the obstruction, flanking the attacker. He picked up a piece of debris in both hands, hefting it like a great stone. "Such a shame," the jester said as he rolled the injured navi onto his back, "this has been fun and all, but I really have to get back to work." The silver shaft lengthened further, sprouting a wickedly barbed blade at its base. "And as Genesis to Exodus, so too closes the book of your life, dear Blues."

"Candy-gram!" As the jester turned, Ben smashed him across the face with the chunk of data, causing him to spin and hit the ground hard, his lance skittering away. The red-haired navi took a few steps toward it, only to pitch forward as the harlequin grabbed him by the ankle.

"Bold, little navi, but foolish." Ben yelped as he was dragged across the ground, rolling over to see that the harlequin's arms had stretched almost ten feet to catch him. As he drew closer, the navi's arms snaked out, encircling Ben's body as if it were a python. Grinning as he rose, a trickle of blood oozing from his nose, the jester lifted Ben's near limp form as if he were a rag doll. "Not a system program, were you the owner's navi?" He tilted his painted face, "who are you?"

"Not . . . the one you sh-should . . . be worrying about . . ." the jester's mouth widened in a silent scream as Blues' jagged sword tore a ragged hole through his stomach, spraying blood across Ben's chest and face.

The harlequin dropped the red-haired navi and spun on his heel, grinning malevolently at the near crippled swordsman. "I'm going to enjoy killing you" he sneered as he reached out, grasping Blues' wrist as he swung his sword again. "I should rip this off, and gut you like a fish."

"Here, use this" the harlequin shrieked as Ben slashed him across the back with the clown's own bladed lance, causing him to drop Blues. The painted navi turned, his face a twisted mask of rage, and Ben stepped back as he poised the lance to strike.

"How annoying," the clown leveled his hand at Ben, "give me the weapon. You will be the first to die."

"Oh gee, when you put it that way." Ben nodded sardonically, "that sounds like a humdinger of a plan, Jingles, but I think I'll keep the pointy, pointy stick of doom to myself."

"I make the jokes here boy!" Ben slid forward as the harlequin's will attempted to wrench the lance free of his grip, but he managed to keep a tight hold. "Give me the rod."

"No."

"It belongs to be." Another surge of force that threatened to tear his arms off, but Ben resisted.

"Not anymore." Ben tightened his grip, "it's mine." A golden flash lit up his blank navi icon, and the lance shimmered a radiant blue.

**COMBAT PROTOCOL DEFINED**

**UNLOCKING METHAMMER / MITHRAS PROTOCOLS**

The lance shifted shape, twisting and lengthening in his hands until it no longer resembled a lance, but a powerful maul with a flaming eye on its head. Ben knew what the hammer could do, he didn't know how or why, but its uses were clearly defined in his mind.

As he stared at the weapon in his hands, he noticed a light emanating from his emblem. A set of wolf's heads, back to back, one black and the other white, appeared on his chest. The blood quickly seeped into his body, and glowing segments of code began to skirt along his surface.

**DEFENSE PROTOCOL DEFINED**

**UNLOCKING PARIAH-CLOAK PROTOCOL**

**UNLOCKING STYLE-CHANGE PROTOCOL**

As the jester and Blues watched, a glowing white fog enveloped the red-haired navi, obscuring him from sight. The mist thickened and shrank, swirling around his limbs and torso, until he found himself wrapped in a white shroud. Crimson sunburst patterns formed along the robe's sleeves, hood, and base. As the glow subsided, Ben stared down at himself in awe, oblivious to the blur of the jester's approach.

"Eyes up, you fool!" Blues cry warned Ben a second too late, and as he lifted his head the navi slammed into him, slashing him across the chest with his talons. Ben was hurled backward, landing on his back and skidding a few feet away.

Ben's hand reflexively went to his chest, checking the severity of his injuries, but to his surprise the robe's surface was completely untouched. Regardless of the force of the attack, none of the damage passed through. "No damage," Ben said in surprise, "your claws couldn't cut through my armor."

The jester snarled angrily, "perhaps not, but this will." He flicked his hand, and a yo-yo3 spun forward, its blades ferociously chewing up the landscape.

This time, Ben was ready, and he easily rolled out of the weapon's path. He dashed forward, swinging the hammer as a wordless cry exploded from his mouth, and as the heavy weapon slammed into the jester he issued a scream of agony. The weapon exploded the pixels where it struck, causing the entire shoulder to fragment and fade away. The arm, still barely attached, hung lifelessly at the harlequin's side. He leapt back, waving his functioning hand, "Viruses, rise up." Shadow portals opened in quick succession, and viruses began to emerge from them, outnumbering the heroes. Ben hefted the hammer, swinging it towards the ground.

"MetHammer, Charge Attack!" The hammer shattered the panel as it struck the ground, releasing a series of energy waves that sliced through the virus' ranks. The harlequin stared in horror as the attack carved paths through his army, and he barely managed to throw himself out of the way as the blast exploded through the viruses. As the smoke cleared, Ben and Blues were left standing ahead of a smoldering battlefield, glowering down on the jester's crumpled form. Ben raced forward, grabbing a handful of the clown's hair and lifting him to his feet. The navi winced weakly, but did not make a sound. Ben pressed the hammer against his emblem, a ring of multi-colored circles, "now answer some questions, or I'll drive you into the ground like a railroad spike."

"Firstly," Blues said, "what were you looking for in Benjamin Bradt's computer?" The clown tightened his grimace, refusing to speak. Ben pushed harder against the navi's emblem, and a wave of glitches rippled through him, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Alright, alright, I'll speak." Ben released his hold on the clown, who staggered slightly as he clambered to his feet. "The human who controlled this system possessed a sort of technology my master had never seen before; some sort of machine that could store numerous battlechips, allowing the navi to access them without an operator. He sent us here to find any sort of information regarding it."

"How much information did you find and where is it?" Ben growled angrily, tightening his grip on the hammer. Although his hood obscured his face with shadows, his blue eyes burned in their depths like sapphire flames.

"We discovered the plans, but they're gone now. One of us took them back to the base as soon as they were discovered. We found some other bits of interesting data, but were unable to decode it here."

"Where's your base?" Blues grabbed the clown by the collar, pulling him eye to eye, "and I'll know if you're lying."

Smiling, the clown replied "it isn't for me to say." Blues pushed the navi hard, knocking him to the ground. Ben swung the hammer down; seconds before it impacted, a pink blur scooped the clown up, saving him from the crushing blow. The pair turned to see R Roll, the mutilated navi in her arms.

"Roll?" the navis cried in unison, while the woman bowed to them.

"Two on one is hardly a fair fight, don't you agree?" She smiled at them, but her face bore nothing but empty malice. "I'll let you live this time, but when next we meet, I will destroy you." A vortex of rose petals exploded around her, and she was gone.

"What the hell?" Blues turned to face Ben, "Your assistance was ap-" to his surprise, he was alone. He scoured the landscape, spotting no signs of life, "hrrm . . . that was unusual."

"Blues, do you copy?" The anxious shout that came through his helmet radio surprised him. "Blues, if you are receiving this, please reestablish your PET link."

The screen on Enzan's PET suddenly came to life, and a battered Blues smiled at him. "I hear you sir, no need to shout."

"No need?" Enzan's face turned red with anger, "I've been trying to contact you for the past forty-five minutes, what the hell happened to you?"

"Log me out sir, please, and I'll fill you in while I repair." The net saviour nodded solemnly, disengaging his navi from the Net.

* * *

On the other side Internet City, in a Net Café called The Silver Met, Ben sat in a chair and stared into his cup of coffee. The business with Roll had made him curious, but he was unsure of how to proceed. _How exactly does a navi explore what's happening in the real world? _He thought bleakly, sipping the black liquid, _without a body, I can't exactly contact Meiru. And I can't let her see me like this; seeing her with another guy is hard enough, but seeing her and knowing I'll never get to hug her, smell her . . ._ he bowed his head sadly.

A sudden beeping in his ear surprised him, and he quickly pulled up his menu screen. _ . . . that's weird, I have mail. _He looked into his inbox, dropping his cup upon reading the sender.

_It's an e-mail from . . . Boushi?_


End file.
